Evaluation of the properties of solid biofuel produced from coconut fibre

ABSTRACT

It is believed that processing biomass into biofuel is an efficient way to create clean energy with no carbon footprint while also assuring suitable waste disposal methods. The objective of this study was to assess the qualities of biochar, a solid biofuel made from coconut fibres using the carbonisation process. A retort heating system was used to create the biochar, which was then subjected to a number of analytical techniques to assess its physical characteristics. The findings demonstrated that the biochar has better thermal stability than raw biomass and a high resistance to degradation. The biochar is mesoporous and has pore diameters of 3.0 nm and a BET surface area of 167.3 m²/g. The composition analysis of the biochar revealed that it contains a number of inorganic components, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, indicating its usefulness for the creation of fertilisers and the improvement of soil nutrients. The biochar's porous structure and the many pores seen during the morphological study further support its ability to act as an adsorbent. The study aids in the production of solid fuel biochar, which can be used for a variety of applications, as well as waste management associated with increased coconut farming.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Biofuel
• biochar
• coconut fibre
• thermochemical process
• waste management

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Compliance with ethical standards

This article does not contain any studies involving human or animal subjects.

Additional information

Funding

There was no external funding for the study.