Physical and chemical properties and product quality evaluation of biochar from typical agricultural residues

Biochar can repair soil, replace fossil fuels, and adsorb environmental pollutants. Biochar helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent environmental pollution. Its application value is very large and its use range is wide. At present, there are problems such as large differences in quality of straw-based biochar products, inconsistencies in characteristics and test methods. This paper systematically studied the quality requirements of biochar at home and abroad. The research put forward the biochar evaluation index system of fertilizer application, energy carbon, activated carbon and other application directions. Focusing on straw biochar, the study analyzed the meanings and influencing factors of physical, chemical, thermochemical, surface chemistry and toxic pollutants. The results showed that the content of C element in straw biochar was generally higher than 40%, and the pH value was alkaline, generally 7.0-10.3. Straw biochar contained a certain amount of nutrients and could be used as a fertilizer supplement, but it was necessary to prevent the risk of heavy metals exceeding the standard. The straw-like biochar had a calorific value of 20-30 MJ/kg, a fixed carbon content of 40%-61%, and a volatile content of <20%, which was close to the medium and low volatile bituminous coal, could be used as an energy carbon application. The straw biochar had high alkali metal and chlorine content, low ash melting point, so it needed to prevent slagging and corrosion problems. The specific surface area of straw biochar was <500 m2/g, the pore size distribution was concentrated near mesopores, and the CEC value was <50 cmol/kg. The most important functional group on the surface of biochar was oxygen-containing functional group, and the number of basic functional groups was average, which was greater than the number of acidic functional groups. Biochar had a large specific surface area, a rich surface pore diameter, and a certain adsorption property, which could be used for activated carbon. The contents of toxic pollutants PAHs, PCBs and PCDD/Fs in biochar were below the limits. Biochar had a stable structure, which was conducive to carbon fixation, and it had rich surface pore structure and strong adsorption, and it can prevent environmental pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The research put forward the biochar quality evaluation index and index range requirements for fertilizer application, energy carbon, activated carbon and other application directions, and recommended the measurement standards of the corresponding indicators. The number of indicators was: fertilizer carbon included 21 items, energy carbon included 19 items, and activated carbon included 7 items. It was recommended to develop biochar quality evaluation and grading standards as soon as possible to provide technical support for promoting the multi-value and high value utilization of biochar products, and further accelerating the industrial application of biochar.