Article
Engineering, Environmental
Farahin Mohd Jais, Ching Yern Chee, Zubaidah Ismail, Shaliza Ibrahim
Summary: In this study, hydrochar derived from rice straw was activated with sodium hydroxide to enhance its porosity and increase functional groups. Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effects of activation parameters on hydrochar performance. Optimization resulted in the generation of activated hydrochar with improved yield and higher adsorption capacity for tetracycline and crystal violet removal.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Afnan Altwala, Robert Mokaya
Summary: This study explores the use of potassium oxalate (PO) as an activating agent for the preparation of activated carbons from difficult to activate carbonaceous matter. The study finds that PO activated carbons have high surface area and microporosity, which can be tailored to desired pore sizes for CO2 storage under low pressure conditions. On the other hand, KOH activated carbons have higher surface area but slightly lower CO2 storage capacity compared to PO activated carbons. This work demonstrates that PO can be used as a mild, non-corrosive, and less toxic activating agent for the targeted synthesis of biomass-derived activated carbons with tailored porosity.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Adeela Rehman, Ghazanfar Nazir, Kwang Heo, Sajjad Hussain, Muhammad Ikram, Qasim Mahmood, Thamraa Alshahrani, Hisham S. M. Abd-Rabboh
Summary: The study developed a method to create microporous carbons with large specific surface area and total pore volume through simultaneous polymerization, carbonization, and in-situ activation. The resulting carbon materials exhibited excellent H2 storage capacity, with pore size playing a dominant role at low pressure and surface area and pore volume being important at high pressure.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mi Tian, Matthew J. Lennox, Alexander J. O'Malley, Alexander J. Porter, Benjamin Kruener, Svemir Rudic, Timothy J. Mays, Tina Duren, Volker Presser, Lui R. Terry, Stephane Rols, Yanan Fang, Zhili Dong, Sebastien Rochat, Valeska P. Ting
Summary: Our study reveals that pore geometry has a significant impact on densification of confined H-2, while pore size remains the critical factor determining hydrogen storage capacities. Understanding the effects of pore geometry and size is essential for developing porous adsorbents tailored for maximizing H-2 storage capacities for sustainable energy applications.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Pamela Ramirez-Vidal, Rafael L. S. Canevesi, Giuseppe Sdanghi, Sebastien Schaefer, Gael Maranzana, Alain Celzard, Vanessa Fierro
Summary: This study investigated hydrogen adsorption on six commercial activated carbons under different temperature and pressure conditions. The authors found that the use of nonlocal density functional theory provided a more accurate prediction of hydrogen adsorption capacity. The relationship between hydrogen adsorption capacity and surface properties of activated carbons was established, and different parameters were identified for evaluating the best activated carbon for hydrogen storage or compression.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nurulsafeelanaria Benwannamas, Tanagorn Sangtawesin, Murat Yilmaz, Kotchaphan Kanjana
Summary: Activated carbons (ACs) were developed from palm petiole via an eco-friendly method. The ACs were used as active materials for supercapacitor electrodes and exhibited excellent electrochemical performance and cycle stability. The promising results ensure the high possibility of the eco-friendly method application in supercapacitor material production.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ali H. Jawad, Ahmed Saud Abdulhameed, Noor Nazihah Bahrudin, Nurul Nadiah Mohd Firdaus Hum, S. N. Surip, Syed Shatir A. Syed-Hassan, Emad Yousif, S. Sabar
Summary: In this study, sugarcane bagasse waste was used to develop high surface area activated carbon for methylene blue dye removal. The adsorption process followed pseudo-second order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm models, involving electrostatic interaction, H-bonding, and pi-pi interaction. The activated carbon showed high adsorption capacity for MB dye, indicating its potential for removing cationic dyes from aqueous environments.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Maria C. F. da Silva, Carlos Schnorr, Sabrina F. Lutke, Salah Knani, Victoria X. Nascimento, Eder C. Lima, Pascal S. Thue, Julien Vieillard, Luis F. O. Silva, Guilherme L. Dotto
Summary: Activated carbons derived from Brazil nut shells were evaluated for phenol removal through adsorption. Results showed that AC11 exhibited higher efficiency in phenol removal and demonstrated promising performance in treating industrial wastewater.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH & DESIGN
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Al Ibtida Sultana, Nepu Saha, M. Toufiq Reza
Summary: Hydrogen (H-2) is considered a potential cost-efficient clean fuel due to its high energy content and sustainability. However, transportation and storage of H-2 remain major challenges for a sustainable H-2 economy. Developing biomass-based activated carbons as effective H-2 storage materials has been emphasized as a way to address these challenges.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ignacio Campello Gomez, Orlando F. Cruz Jr, Joaquin Silvestre-Albero, Carlos R. Rambo, Manuel Martinez Escandell
Summary: In this study, activated carbons were synthesized from different precursors using KOH and mixtures of KOH and KCl as activating agents. The addition of KCl was found to increase the surface area and activation yield in all the samples. Thermodynamic and mass spectrometry studies revealed that KCl did not act as an activating agent, but promoted the solubilization of secondary products, thereby enhancing the contact of KOH and carbon particles and increasing the activation efficiency. Based on mass spectroscopy results and thermodynamic calculations, four reactions were proposed as the most likely responsible for pore development during activation.
JOURNAL OF CO2 UTILIZATION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Catarina Helena Pimentel, Lidia Diaz-Fernandez, Diego Gomez-Diaz, Maria Sonia Freire, Julia Gonzalez-Alvares
Summary: Reducing the harmful impacts of CO2 emissions and greenhouse effect on climatic conditions is necessary. In this study, biochar and activated carbons were produced and characterized. The activated carbon activated at 600 degrees C with KOH at a ratio of 1:4 w/w showed the highest CO2 adsorption capacity and selectivity.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shuo Shi, Yangxian Liu
Summary: Nitrogen-doped activated carbons synthesized by microwave/KOH activation from microalgae pyrolysis by-products exhibit developed pore structure and abundant active functional groups, resulting in high CO2 adsorption capacities. The CO2 adsorption processes are mainly controlled by external mass transfer and are primarily physisorption. Additionally, the CO2 adsorption capacities of nitrogen-doped activated carbons by microwave/KOH activation are significantly better than those by thermal/KOH activation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lucas Spessato, Vitor A. Duarte, Jhessica M. Fonseca, Pedro A. Arroyo, Vitor C. Almeida
Summary: Nitrogen-doped activated carbons were prepared from Brazil nut shells using KOH-activation and N-doping with various compounds. The results showed that N-doping caused damage to the surface of the materials but contributed more to CO2 adsorption than high surface area values.
JOURNAL OF CO2 UTILIZATION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Xiong Zhang, Huanhuan Zheng, Guangyang Li, Jinyang Gu, Jingai Shao, Shihong Zhang, Haiping Yang, Hanping Chen
Summary: The study demonstrates that physical activation with CO2 can enhance the microporous structure of biochar, while high temperature ammonification can increase the nitrogen functional groups and nitrogen content, both of which have positive effects on the SO2 adsorption performance.
JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL AND APPLIED PYROLYSIS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Lan Luo, Chunliang Yang, Xiaojian Yang, Fei Liu, Xiaodan Wang, Peng Chen, Tianxiang Zhao
Summary: In this study, a series of ultra-microporous activated carbons were prepared using waste distiller's grains as precursors. The as-prepared activated carbons showed efficient CO2 adsorption capacity and could be recycled multiple times without performance decline. This research not only develops a new pathway for the utilization of distiller's grains, but also provides an alternative method for low-cost biochar application in CO2 adsorption.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Caroline Francolle de Almeida, Manon Saget, Guillaume Delaplace, Maude Jimenez, Vanessa Fierro, Alain Celzard
Summary: Fouling of heat exchangers is a major concern in the industrial sector. This review examines the latest advances in innovative materials and coatings to mitigate fouling and extend the operational life of heat exchangers. The correlation between surface properties and fouling occurrence is explored, and key strategies for developing antifouling surfaces are presented. Emphasis is given to the potential transfer of these innovative surfaces to the food, petrochemicals, and energy production industries.
REVIEWS IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Anthony Dessalle, Javier Quilez-Bermejo, Vanessa Fierro, Feina Xu, Alain Celzard
Summary: Platinum is an expensive and scarce catalyst, limiting the large-scale commercialization of Pt-based electrochemical devices. The slow oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with Pt in acidic media has led to the exploration of Pt-free catalysts. This review critically discusses the influence of the physicochemical and electrochemical properties of biomass-derived, carbon-based electrocatalysts for the ORR over the past decade.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Javier Quilez-Bermejo, Sergio Garcia-Dali, Ayoub Daouli, Andrea Zitolo, Rafael L. S. Canevesi, Melanie Emo, Maria T. Izquierdo, Michael Badawi, Alain Celzard, Vanessa Fierro
Summary: In this study, single atoms and nanoclusters of Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, and Mn were embedded in a well-defined C1N1-type material with internal cavities of approximately 0.6 nm. The nucleation of different metal nanoclusters was achieved by forming metal-nitrogen bonds on four N atoms. After pyrolysis, TM@CNx-type structures were obtained, where TM represents the transition metal and x<1. Fe@CNx and Co@CNx showed promising performance in oxygen reduction reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction respectively, with a Pt-like performance, while Ni@CNx exhibited the highest activity in oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with an E-OER of 1.59 V versus RHE, surpassing the commercial IrO2 (E-OER = 1.72 V). This systematic and benchmarking study provides a basis for the future design of advanced multi-functional electrocatalysts by modulating and combining the metallic nature of nanoclusters and single atoms.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pauline Blyweert, Vincent Nicolas, Vanessa Fierro, Alain Celzard
Summary: This paper demonstrates the preparation and characteristics of new 3D-printed porous carbons using stereolithography (SLA) and heat treatment. The physical and textural properties of the carbons can be adjusted by using chemically modified biobased aromatic precursors as monomers. These materials show higher thermal stability and carbonyield. The dense porous carbon materials also exhibit outstanding mechanical properties and resistance to oxidation.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sergio Garcia-Dali, Javier Quilez-Bermejo, Raj Karthik, Rafael Luan Sehn Canevesi, Maria T. Izquierdo, Melanie Emo, Alain Celzard, Vanessa Fierro
Summary: The sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a major limitation for green electrochemical devices. Expensive ruthenium and iridium oxide electrodes have been used as advanced electrocatalysts, but their rarity limits their global implementation. Transition metal and boron compounds show promise as alternatives due to their high catalytic properties and stability. However, their synthesis routes often involve expensive supports, increasing the cost. This study presents an easy and support-free synthesis of bimetallic borates, showing improved electrocatalytic properties for OER, particularly with nickel as the transition metal. A support-free synthesis route achieved an overpotential of 230 mV, comparable to commercial and state-of-the-art electrocatalysts.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Pauline Blyweert, Alexander Zharov, Darya Meisak, Artyom Plyushch, Jan Macutkevic, Juras Banys, Vanessa Fierro, Alain Celzard
Summary: 3D-printed carbon structures filled with BaTiO3 nanoparticles were studied for their properties in low and microwave frequency ranges. These structures exhibited high electrical conductivity in the low-frequency range and excellent dielectric properties in the microwave range. The electrical transport was thermally activated and attributed to electron transport through various defects. The investigated structures showed attractive electromagnetic properties in the microwave range, with high absorption rates for BaTiO3-filled structures.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Marco Pelanconi, Pauline Blyweert, Giovanni Bianchi, Vincent Nicolas, Davide Vigano, Samuele Bottacin, Vanessa Fierro, Alain Celzard, Alberto Ortona
Summary: This study focuses on the design, additive manufacturing, and characterization of porous carbon-based structures with outstanding mechanical properties and oxidation resistance, combined with good electrical and thermal conductivity. Graphite-carbon black powders were 3D printed using binder jetting to create computational models of three different topologies and geometric porosities. The parts were then densified using infiltration and pyrolysis with furan resin. The resulting composite materials exhibit excellent mechanical properties and high oxidation resistance, making them suitable for applications such as Joule resistors and seasonal thermal storage.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sergio Garcia-Dali, Javier Quilez-Bermejo, Jimena Castro-Gutierrez, Niki Baccile, Maria T. Izquierdo, Alain Celzard, Vanessa Fierro
Summary: This study presents efficient electrodes for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) based on low-cost and metal-free carbon catalysts. Phytic acid, a biosourced molecule containing carbon (C) and phosphorus (P), is used as a precursor to produce P-doped carbon materials. The conversion of P-O-type groups into P-C-type species is crucial for the catalytic activity of P-doped carbon materials, with P-C-type groups being the key factor in the electrocatalytic activity.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Pauline Blyweert, Vincent Nicolas, Vanessa Fierro, Alain Celzard
Summary: Greener and more mechanically robust 3D-printed structures were achieved by incorporating tannin into acrylate resin. The addition of tannin particles to the resin improved the resolution control and mechanical properties of the printed structures. The use of tannin as a bio-based ingredient showed promising results in producing accurate and reinforced 3D-printed structures.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
R. Morales-Ospino, A. Celzard, V. Fierro
Summary: Liquid hydrogen (LH2) has the highest storage density with no chemical reaction required, but it needs to be cooled to 20 K using energy-intensive refrigeration. LH2 storage results in the evaporation of LH2, known as boil-off, leading to process inefficiency and energy losses. This review discusses the definition, challenges, state-of-the-art, and recovery strategies to minimize hydrogen evaporation, including zero boil-off (ZBO), hydrogen reliquefaction, and compression solutions. The expertise gained in cryogenic storage for spacecraft has potential applications beyond the industry. Proper integration of reliquefaction systems with LH2 tanks and non-mechanical compressors for boil-off hydrogen offer attractive options for advancing LH2 logistics.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Azamat Taurbekov, Alisher Abdisattar, Meiram Atamanov, Mukhtar Yeleuov, Chingis Daulbayev, Kydyr Askaruly, Bayan Kaidar, Zulkhair Mansurov, Jimena Castro-Gutierrez, Alain Celzard, Vanessa Fierro, Tolganay Atamanova
Summary: This study systematically investigates the efficient production method and electrochemical characteristics of activated carbons derived from rice husk and walnut shell. The results show that CO2 activation exhibits superior rate performance and charge transfer characteristics compared to KOH activation. These findings highlight the significance of activation techniques in tailoring the electrochemical behavior of biomass-derived carbon and provide valuable guidance for the development of high-performance supercapacitor electrodes with less environmental impact.
JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Darya Meisak, Martynas Kinka, Artyom Plyushch, Jan Macutkevic, Aleksej Zarkov, Sebastien Schaefer, Algirdas Selskis, Vytautas Samulionis, Polina Kuzhir, Juras Banys, Vanessa Fierro, Alain Celzard
Summary: A series of flexible and environmentally friendly composites based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) filled with ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BTO) particles at different concentrations have been fabricated. The addition of BTO strongly affects the dielectric properties of the composites. Ultrasonic measurements demonstrate the appearance of a piezoelectric voltage signal, indicating the potential use of the BTO/PDMS composite as a simple and flexible nanogenerator.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Claire Dazon, Sebastien Bau, Raphael Payet, Vanessa Fierro, Olivier Witschger
Summary: The relevance of dustiness methods in the evaluation of worker's exposure to nanomaterials and environmental risk is recognized. Current methods based on mass are recommended, but surface area is considered a better determinant of nanoparticle pulmonary toxicity. This study proposes a surface-based dustiness index to assess nanoparticulate matter, demonstrating its superiority over the conventional mass-based index in discrimination and impact on ranking. Further research is needed to support the inclusion of this proposal in European standards.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zarina Turtayeva, Feina Xu, Jerome Dillet, Kevin Mozet, Regis Peignier, Alain Celzard, Gael Maranzana
Summary: The fabrication step of the catalyst layer is crucial for the performance of fuel cells. This study systematically investigates the relationship between the ink composition, preparation methods, and operating conditions with the structure and performance of the catalyst layer. The results highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate ratio and ingredients to optimize the catalyst layer's impact on fuel cell performance.
