The structure evolution of biochar from biomass pyrolysis and its correlation with gas pollutant adsorption performance

Biochar is carbon-rich, porous and with a great potential in gas pollutant controlling. The physical-chemical structure of biochar is important for the application. This paper firstly reviewed the evolution behavior of physical-chemical structure for biochar during pyrolysis. At lower temperature (<500 °C), biomass firstly transformed to “3D network of benzene rings” with abundant functional groups. With temperature increasing (500–700 °C), it converted to “2D structure of fused rings” with abundant porosity. As temperature increasing further (>700 °C), it may transit into a “graphite microcrystalline structure”, the porosity and functional groups were diminished correspondingly. The modification of biochar and its application as sorbent for gas pollutant were also reviewed. Activation and doping can significantly increase the porosity and special functional groups in biochar, which is favorable for gas pollutant adsorption. With a higher porosity, the adsorption capacity of gas pollutant is bigger, however, the functional groups determined the sorption stability of gas pollutant.