Adsorption desulphurization performance of biochar that derived from eucalyptus waste

In this paper, microporous biochar materials with large specific surface area (2592.2 m 2 /g) and pore volume (1.15 cm 3 /g) was prepared by eucalyptus waste, and was successfully used for adsorption desulfurization (ADS) where it showed high dibenzothiophene (DBT) adsorption capacity (172.5 mg/g). The biochar materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and various spectroscopies (Raman, XRD , FTIR) analyses. The adsorption process was well consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isothermal model. ADS behavior was explained by the intraparticle diffusion model. The adsorption energies of DBT in carbon nanotubes with different pore sizes were calculated by using the density functional theory. It is finally concluded that ADS mainly attributed to π-π interactions between DBT with biochar materials, also includes hydrogen bonding , acid-base interactions and van der Waals force. The present work provides a new idea of ADS, using waste biomass materials to prepare biochar materials. • Preparation of microporous eucalyptus biochar materials by hydrothermal carbonization and KOH activation. • Achieved a high surface area (2592.2 m 2 /g) using the 750 °C KOH activation. • Maximum adsorption of DBT is 172.5 mg/g. • DBT adsorbed onto biochar materials surfaces with π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding,etc.