Valorization of Biomass Gasification Char as Filler in Polymers and Comparison with Carbon Black
- PDF / 2,336,137 Bytes
- 12 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 103 Downloads / 182 Views
ORIGINAL PAPER
Valorization of Biomass Gasification Char as Filler in Polymers and Comparison with Carbon Black V. Benedetti1 · M. Scatto2 · M. Baratieri1 · P. Riello3 Received: 4 May 2020 / Accepted: 10 September 2020 © Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract Char, the solid residue produced during biomass gasification, is usually treated as a waste with high environmental and economic costs associated to its disposal. However, char shows remarkable properties that make it suitable for a plethora of different applications. In particular, this study aims at investigating the feasibility of using char as filler in polymers for boosting polymer thermal stability and electrical conductivity, and comparing its performances with carbon black (CB), a more traditional carbonaceous filler. Char residues were collected from a commercial biomass gasifier, thoroughly characterized, and compared with CB. Both materials were used in combination with a styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (SEBS) matrix for the production of two different compounds, deeply characterized as well. An addition of 44 wt% of char increases the thermal stability of the compound and its electrical conductivity up to 2 × 10−3 S c m−1, without interfering with its structure and mechanical properties. Less CB (20 wt%) was needed for obtaining composites with the same electrical conductivity. The findings of this study pave the way for new valorization routes for large amounts of char in cutting-edge applications and present the opportunity to the polymer manufacturing to use a high-available and low-cost substitute for carbon-based fillers. Graphic Abstract
Keywords Biomass gasification · Char · Carbon black · Polymer · Filler · Electrical conductivity
Statement of Novelty * V. Benedetti [email protected] 1
Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
2
Nadir S.r.l., c/o Scientific Campus Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30172 Mestre, VE, Italy
3
Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30172 Mestre, VE, Italy
Char derived from biomass gasification is still considered as a waste with high environmental and economic costs associated to its disposal. However, due to its remarkable properties, char has the potential to be further valorized in different applications. This pioneer study shows how commercial char could be employed as renewable, low-cost carbon-based filler in polymers and compares its performances with more
13
Vol.:(0123456789)
traditional and high-cost fossil-based carbon black, already available on the market. This work demonstrates that char addition in a polymer matrix not only allows for reducing wastes, pollutants, chemicals utilization, costs, but also for obtaining polymeric compounds with enhanced thermal stability and electrical conductivity.
Introduction Char is the solid residue obtained after the gasification of biomass, i.e. the thermochemical conversion of biomass in an oxygen-deficient atmosphere [1]. The main produ
Data Loading...
