Nickel-Catalyzed Carbonization of Wood for Co-Production of Functional Carbon and Fluid Fuels: Production of Dual Functional Nano-Carbon by Two Steps Carbonization
Kyoko SUZUKI, Tetsuo YAMADA and Tsutomu SUZUKI
Abstract:Carbonization of wood loaded with nickel, which aims at co-production of dual functional nano-carbon and fluid fuels, was conducted by two steps process (500C-carbonization as the first step followed by 900C-carbonization as the second one) and usual one step carbonization at 900C to compare them in terms of practicability. The 2nd carbonization of wood char prepared by the 1st carbonization could produce the 2nd char almost equal to char obtained by one step carbonization of wood in both crystallographic structure of carbon and mesoporous structure. Gases produced by the 2nd carbonization contained hydrogen and carbon dioxide in much larger and smaller proportions, respectively, than those obtained by one step process, and the total amount of gases produced by the 1st and the 2nd carbonizations was equal to that by one step process. When considering easier operation of the 2nd carbonization giving no tar, it is concluded that two steps process is superior to one step process in actual operation. In addition, useful findings of macropore formation in wood char were obtained by the 2nd carbonization. Key Words:Wood carbonization, Nickel, Functional nano-carbon, Crystallization of carbon, Mesoporosity