Processing Value Added Material From Bamboo
Leaves and a Wild Plant

Abstract

In tropical countries a huge amount of plant and trees grows abundantly and whose utilisation is not yet been emphasized. In recent year, few countries have tried for utilisation of biomass to make value added products such as activated carbon, biochar and bio-fuel etc. Biomass is an effective and eco-friendly alternative source of energy, since it reduces the environmental pollution as well as reduces the net carbon dioxide emissions is a burning research area.The present piece of work is aimed at making biochar from bamboo and euphorbia tithymaloides plant. The plant component such as stem and leaves are selected for processing biochar.The influence of burning/carbonization of biomass leaves and stem(at different emperatures)have been studied and characterized.Chemical treatment and pyrolysis procedure are adopted for making the product. Proximate analysis gave the fixed carbon content (of ~nearly21%). X-Ray diffraction results revealed the presence of various phases viz. cubic and hexagonal carbon, cristobalite (SiO2), Calcite (Ca2O3) etc. accompanied with changes in crystal structures.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results showed various modes of vibrations viz. O-H stretching bending of other bonds; (for aromatic benzene derivatives)etc.Scanning Electron Microscopic observation(of morphology)showed irregular stacking arrangements between the randomly spaced lamellae structure, with variation in carbonizing temperature and chemically treated samples.To find out the high value utilisation,the dielectric behaviour of the raw and pyrolysed samples.The dielectric behaviour is studied from this research work, It is found that their transformation of carbon(from organic to inorganic state)different crystalline phases of form of carbon are created depending on the pyrolysis temperature i.e. amorphous state to crystalline state etc. The stretching and bonding of C-O-C or other carbon bonded have taken place during chemical treatment and also during pyrolysis process. The microstructure of the samples is also different depending on the thermal and chemical treatments.From the dielectric studies it is found that these materials can be utilised for capacitor grade dielectric purpose at medium frequency range application.The present research focuses on extending the frontiers of use of biomass from being an unutilized biowaste to its conversion into a value added product, which can be compassed in terms of sustainable applications.