title: Microwave-assisted catalytic pyrolysis of switchgrass for improving bio-oil and biochar properties.
abstract: Solid additives were used as a microwave absorber to improve the low microwave absorption rate of switchgrass going through pyrolysis, and as a catalyst to improve the bio-oil and biochar characteristics. The synergistic effects were manifested in the presence of a mixture of K3PO4 and clinoptilolite or bentonite compared with single catalyst, resulting in increased microwave absorption rate, and improved bio-oil and biochar quality. The sample of microwave heating switchgrass with 10wt.% K3PO4+10wt.% bentonite reached 400°C after 2.8min, compared with 28.8min through conventional heating, producing biochar with increase in BET surface area from 0.33m(2)/g to 76.3m(2)/g compared with conventional heating. Furthermore, water content of the bio-oil reduced from 22.7 to 15.0wt.% compared with biomass mixed with 20wt.% SiC, a chemically-inert microwave absorbing material used to increase microwave heating. Introducing catalysts showed a great potential for accelerating microwave heating and improving bio-oil and biochar qualities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Agricultural Engineering Department, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Badr A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 14 gil 5 Hwarang-no Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Soo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: tony.bi@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Xiaotao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bi
mesh_terms: D001546:Bentonite / Q000737:chemistry; D056804:Biofuels; D002384:Catalysis; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D006361:Heating / Q000379:methods; D008872:Microwaves; D008897:Panicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D017641:Zeolites / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D010710:Phosphates; D017680:Potassium Compounds; C540010:biochar; C083175:clinoptilolite; D001546:Bentonite; D017641:Zeolites; D002606:Charcoal; C013216:potassium phosphate
keywords: Bentonite; Catalytic microwave pyrolysis; Clinoptilolite; K(3)PO(4); Synergistic effects