Nowadays, the valorization of organic wastes using various carbon-capturing technologies is a prime research area. The anaerobic digestion (AD) technology is gaining much consideration in this regard that simultaneously deals with waste valorization and bioenergy production sustainably. Biochar, a well-recognized carbonaceous pyrogenic material and possessing a broad range of inherent physical and chemical properties, has diverse applications in the fields of agriculture, health-care, sensing, catalysis, carbon capture, the environment and energy. The nano-biochar-amended anaerobic digestion approach has intensively been explored for the past few years. However, an inclusive study of multi-functional roles of biochar and the mechanism involved for enhancing the biogas production via the AD process still need to be evaluated. The present review inspects the significant role of biochar addition and the kinetics involved, further focusing on the limitations, perspectives, and challenges of the technology. Additionally, the techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment of biochar-aided AD process for the closed-loop integration of biochar and AD and possible improvement practices are discussed.

Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass to specifically depolymerise lignin moieties without loss of carbohydrates as well as to minimize the generation of harmful intermediates during the process is a major challenge...

No abstract

In this study, a green and sustainable strategy was opted for the synthesis of a novel biobased non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) or polyhydroxyurethane (PHU). NIPU or PHU was synthesized from microbially converted hydroxy fatty acid-based cyclic carbonate and diamine cross-linker. Initially, oleic acid was biotransformed into 7,10-dihydroxy-8­(E)-octadecenoic acid (DOD) using Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The cell-free approach was chosen for DOD production due to its high yield and productivity. Afterward, DOD was modified into DOD-based tricyclic carbonate by a two-step method. The prepared monomeric material was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), and 13C NMR analyses. A series of DOD-based PHUs (DOD PHUs) were synthesized with different amine contents, and their structures were studied by FTIR and 1H NMR analyses. The morphological, mechanical, and thermal properties of DOD PHU were further analyzed. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the prepared DOD PHU were in the range of 2–6 MPa and 39–76%, respectively. The glass transition temperature of the material was in the range of 4–27 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis exhibited that thermal stability increases with the increase in amine content. The gel content was in the range of 73–100%, suggesting that the polymers are highly cross-linked. In addition, the synthesized DOD PHU displayed excellent ultraviolet and water resistance properties. The green synthesized DOD PHU depicts suitability for a wide range of applications, particularly in the coating and packaging industries.