Physicochemical and Optical Characterization of <i>Citrus aurantium</i> Derived Biochar for Solar Absorber Applications
Nancy G. Gonzalez-Canche,
Jose G. Carrillo,
Beatriz Escobar-Morales,
Iván Salgado-Tránsito,
Neith Pacheco,
Soledad Cecilia Pech-Cohuo,
Manuel I. Peña-Cruz
Affiliations
Nancy G. Gonzalez-Canche
Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, A.C. Unidad Aguascalientes, Prol. Constitución 607, Fracc. Reserva Loma Bonita, Aguascalientes 20200, Mexico
Jose G. Carrillo
Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Unidad de Materiales, Calle 43 No. 130, Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97205, Mexico
Beatriz Escobar-Morales
CONACYT-Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburná Puerto, Km 5, Mérida, Yucatán 97302, Mexico
Iván Salgado-Tránsito
CONACYT, Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, A.C. Unidad Aguascalientes, Prol. Constitución 607, Fracc. Reserva Loma Bonita, Aguascalientes 20200, Mexico
Neith Pacheco
Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco CIATEJ, A.C. Subsede Sureste, Parque Científico Tecnológico de Yucatán, Km 5.5 Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburná Puerto, Mérida, Yucatán 97302, Mexico
Soledad Cecilia Pech-Cohuo
Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco CIATEJ, A.C. Subsede Sureste, Parque Científico Tecnológico de Yucatán, Km 5.5 Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburná Puerto, Mérida, Yucatán 97302, Mexico
Manuel I. Peña-Cruz
CONACYT, Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, A.C. Unidad Aguascalientes, Prol. Constitución 607, Fracc. Reserva Loma Bonita, Aguascalientes 20200, Mexico
Agro-industrial waste valorization is an attractive approach that offers new alternatives to deal with shrinkage and residue problems. One of these approaches is the synthesis of advanced carbon materials. Current research has shown that citrus waste, mainly orange peel, can be a precursor for the synthesis of high-quality carbon materials for chemical adsorption and energy storage applications. A recent approach to the utilization of advanced carbon materials based on lignocellulosic biomass is their use in solar absorber coatings for solar-thermal applications. This study focused on the production of biochar from Citrus aurantium orange peel by a pyrolysis process at different temperatures. Biochars were characterized by SEM, elemental analysis, TGA-DSC, FTIR, DRX, Raman, and XPS spectroscopies. Optical properties such as diffuse reflectance in the UV−VIS−NIR region was also determined. Physical-chemical characterization revealed that the pyrolysis temperature had a negative effect in yield of biochars, whereas biochars with a higher carbon content, aromaticity, thermal stability, and structural order were produced as the temperature increased. Diffuse reflectance measurements revealed that it is possible to reduce the reflectance of the material by controlling its pyrolysis temperature, producing a material with physicochemical and optical properties that could be attractive for use as a pigment in solar absorber coatings.
