Value-Added Products from Thermal Treatment of Biomass Pyrolysis Oil

Pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass produces bio-char, gaseous byproducts, and liquid fractions rich in phenolic, acidic, and oxygen-rich compounds, otherwise known as pyrolysis oil. Utilization of pyrolysis oils is hampered by a high water content (as much as 30 wt%), as well as instability and corrosiveness due to oxygenated species (aldehydes, phenolics, and carboxylic acids). We investigated thermal treatment of pyrolysis oils as a means to produce a value-added product with potential uses in soil amendment and chemical adsorption applications. Products and byproducts were characterized analytically (GC-MS, BET, SEM), and a mass balance was evaluated for the process. We concluded that oil from biomass pyrolysis could be upgraded using moderate reaction conditions to generate a product useful for non-fuel applications