Novel biochar from sheep wool and its carbon sequestration capability

Abstract

The study of biochar as a soil additive to increase soil performance and to mitigate effects of climate change through carbon capturing in soil has been widely done. This study aims to determine the optimal conditions for the pyrolysis of sheep wool into biochar while retaining its fibrous structure. Thereafter, evaluation on the carbon sequestration capability of the biochar under different concentration of CO2 (600ppm, 800ppm and 2000ppm), as well as microwaved and non-microwaved biochar would be conducted. The results obtained shows that the optimal pyrolysis for sheep wool biochar is at 300°C at a heating rate of 5°C/minute and allow for residence at 300°C for 15 to 20 minutes before cooling down. The capability of sheep wool biochar to sequester CO2 under different concentration cannot be determined due to equipment constraints. Microwaving of biochar for 20 minutes results in a more consistent quality and performance. Sheep wool biochar exhibit an average adsorption/absorption ability of 0.63 mmol/g. Keywords: Sheep wool, biochar, pyrolysis, microwave, CO2 sequestration