Single Step Synthesis of Magnetic Materials Derived from Biomass Residues

• Published in: Waste and biomass valorization Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 1039 - 1050
• Main Authors: Lima, Geronimo L., Oliveira, Raiana W. L., de Jesus Neto, Raimundo M., Gomes, Angelo M. de S., Fiuza Junior, Raildo A., Andrade, Heloysa M. C., Mascarenhas, Artur J. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.02.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bagasse; Biomass; Carbon content; Cocoa; Combustion synthesis; Contaminants; Crystallites; Crystals; Engineering; Environment; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Ferric oxide; Hematite; Industrial Pollution Prevention; Iron oxides; Magnetic materials; Magnetic saturation; Magnetism; Magnetization; Original Paper; Peanuts; Renewable and Green Energy; Residues; Sugarcane; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Magnetic materials; Powder diffraction; Composite materials; Rietveld analysis; Magnetic properties
• ISSN: 1877-2641; 1877-265X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12649-020-01003-7

Agro-industrial biomass residues (peanut shells, cocoa husks, sugarcane bagasse and coconut mesocarp) were converted into magnetic adsorbents by deposition of maghemite (γ-Fe 2 O 3 ), employing the combustion synthesis method as a single step route. The resultant magnetic materials were characterized by XRD, TEM, nitrogen adsorption, and magnetization measurements. The magnetic composites are formed by maghemite (γ-Fe 2 O 3 ), as the major phase, and hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ), as a minor contaminant, both dispersed in carbonaceous matrices, depending on the parent biomass residue. The crystallite size of γ-Fe 2 O 3 was estimated by the Scherrer equation and ranged from 6 to 58 nm, depending on the starting biomass residue. The BET surface areas were relatively low (12 to 58 m 2 g −1 ). The magnetization measurements indicated a decrease in the saturation magnetization with decreasing maghemite crystallite size and with the increase of the carbon content. Graphic Abstract