Physicochemical properties of biochar derived from anaerobically digested dairy manure

Biochar was produced from anaerobically digested dairy manure under different processing temperatures (300, 600 and 1000 °C). The process could transform the biomass waste to high-value-added biochar products in high efficiency as well as reduce the manure biological pollution to the environment. By the results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) two kinetic models (FWO and Starink) were used to evaluate the activation energy. The biochar was studied for its surface area and pore size, chemical functionality, and crystalline structure by BET analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). More porous and channel structures were observed under higher temperature and inert gas atmosphere, as characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The biochar with tunable physicochemical properties that was produced under different temperatures may be used for soil amendment or other fields.