Blogs

Sun

20

Jul

2025

Activated Bamboo Biochar for Mn MOF Solid-State Battery Electrolytes - A Comprehensive Analysis

DISCLAIMER: Researched with perplexity.ai Pretty convincing stuff! Please fact check me.

The development of activated bamboo biochar integrated with manganese metal-organic frameworks (Mn MOFs) as solid-state battery electrolytes represents a groundbreaking approach to sustainable energy storage. This innovative composite material combines the environmental benefits of biomass-derived carbon with the structural versatility of MOFs and the electrochemical activity of earth-abundant manganese, offering a promising pathway toward next-generation solid-state batteries with enhanced safety, performance, and sustainability.

Material Composition and Synthesis

Activated Bamboo Biochar Foundation

Steam-activated bamboo biochar serves as the carbon matrix foundation for the electrolyte system, providing several critical advantages. The activation process, typically conducted at temperatures between 700-900°C, creates a hierarchical porous structure with significantly enhanced surface area12. Research demonstrates that steam activation of bamboo waste produces activated carbon with BET surface areas reaching up to 829 m²/g1 2, creating an ideal scaffold for MOF integration.

The steam activation process introduces oxygen-containing functional groups including carboxyl (-COOH) and hydroxyl (-OH) groups that serve as nucleation sites for metal coordination34. These functional groups are essential for forming stable C-O-Mn coordination bonds, which provide the structural foundation for the composite electrolyte. The activation parameters significantly influence the final properties, with optimal synthesis temperatures ranging from 600-900°C depending on the desired pore structure and surface chemistry34.

Manganese MOF Integration

Manganese incorporation into the biochar matrix occurs through coordination chemistry involving manganese precursors such as MnCl₂ or Mn(OAc)₂ and organic linkers, typically dicarboxylates. The manganese centers provide redox-active sites with multiple accessible oxidation states (Mn²⁺, Mn³⁺, Mn⁴⁺), enabling versatile electrochemical functionality5. Research on similar MOF-based electrolytes demonstrates that manganese systems can achieve ionic conductivities of 0.6 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at room temperature with activation energies as low as 0.2 eV5.

The MOF component creates well-defined nanoporous channels that facilitate ion transport while maintaining structural integrity. The combination of manganese's multiple oxidation states with the ordered porosity of MOF structures provides both ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability, essential requirements for solid-state battery applications.

Electrolyte Properties and Performance

Ionic Conductivity Mechanisms

The composite electrolyte exhibits ionic conductivity through multiple transport pathways enabled by its hierarchical structure. Research on MOF-based solid electrolytes demonstrates that ionic conductivity can reach values of 4.6 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹ at 25°C through multiple ion-transport channels6. The bamboo biochar provides a conductive carbon matrix, while the Mn MOF creates ordered channels for ion migration.

The ionic transport mechanisms operate through several complementary pathways. The porous biochar network provides bulk ionic transport, while the MOF channels offer selective ion conduction with enhanced transference numbers. Studies of similar systems show lithium ion transference numbers reaching 0.586, indicating efficient selective ion transport that minimizes unwanted side reactions.

Electrochemical Stability

The electrochemical stability window of these composite electrolytes is enhanced by the synergistic effects of the carbon matrix and MOF structure. Research demonstrates that MOF-based electrolytes can achieve electrochemical windows exceeding 4.8 V vs Li/Li⁺7, making them suitable for high-voltage battery applications. The manganese centers provide additional redox buffering capacity, helping to maintain electrolyte stability under varying electrochemical conditions.

The interface stability between the composite electrolyte and electrodes is critical for long-term performance. Studies show that MOF-enhanced electrolytes can form stable solid electrolyte interfaces (SEIs) that prevent dendrite growth and maintain low interfacial resistance over extended cycling8. The biochar component contributes to mechanical stability while the MOF structure provides chemical stability through its robust coordination network.

Temperature Performance

The thermal stability of activated bamboo biochar Mn MOF electrolytes is enhanced by the carbon matrix, which can withstand temperatures up to 900°C during synthesis3. The operational temperature range for battery applications typically spans from -30°C to 80°C, where research shows that MOF-based electrolytes maintain stable ionic conductivity with Arrhenius-type behavior5.

Temperature-dependent performance studies indicate that higher temperatures generally improve ionic conductivity while lower temperatures may reduce transport kinetics. The activation energy for ion transport in similar systems ranges from 0.2 to 0.4 eV5 6, indicating relatively low barriers to ion migration that enable reasonable performance across the desired temperature range.

Solid-State Battery Applications

Integration with Battery Components

The composite electrolyte system integrates effectively with various electrode materials commonly used in solid-state batteries. Research demonstrates successful integration with cathode materials such as LiFePO₄, NCM811, and Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃, showing capacity retentions exceeding 95% after hundreds of cycles7 89. The biochar matrix provides good electronic contact while the MOF component ensures ionic transport continuity.

Anode compatibility is particularly important for solid-state applications, where research shows that MOF-based electrolytes can suppress dendrite formation and maintain stable cycling with lithium metal anodes for over 1000 hours810. The composite nature of the electrolyte helps accommodate volume changes during cycling while maintaining interfacial contact.

Performance Metrics

Battery cells assembled with similar composite electrolytes demonstrate impressive performance characteristics. Research shows specific capacities reaching 162.8 mAh g⁻¹ after 500 cycles at 60°C6, indicating good capacity retention and thermal stability. Energy densities can exceed 38 Wh/kg at power densities of 761 W/kg11, demonstrating the potential for practical energy storage applications.

Cycling stability represents another critical performance metric, where studies show capacity retentions above 90% after 1000 cycles9. The combination of bamboo biochar's mechanical stability with MOF's structural integrity contributes to this excellent long-term performance. Fast charging capabilities are also enhanced, with some systems demonstrating stable operation at current densities up to 5 C12.

Advantages and Benefits

Sustainability and Environmental Impact

The use of bamboo waste as the carbon source provides significant environmental benefits through waste valorization and carbon sequestration. Bamboo represents one of the most sustainable biomass sources, with rapid growth rates and minimal processing requirements12. The conversion of bamboo waste into high-performance battery materials contributes to circular economy principles while reducing reliance on fossil-derived materials.

The synthesis process using steam activation is relatively energy-efficient compared to chemical activation methods, requiring primarily thermal energy that can be supplied by renewable sources3. The elimination of toxic solvents and harmful chemicals in the activation process further enhances the environmental compatibility of the material.

Cost Effectiveness

Earth-abundant manganese represents a significant cost advantage compared to precious metals commonly used in advanced battery materials. The availability and low cost of manganese precursors make the technology economically viable for large-scale applications. Combined with the low cost of bamboo waste feedstock, the overall material cost is substantially lower than conventional solid-state electrolyte materials.

The processing requirements are relatively moderate, utilizing conventional pyrolysis and solvothermal synthesis techniques that are well-established in industrial applications. This compatibility with existing manufacturing infrastructure reduces the barriers to commercial implementation.

Performance Advantages

The composite nature of the electrolyte provides several performance advantages over individual components. The biochar matrix offers high electronic conductivity and mechanical stability, while the MOF component provides selective ionic transport and chemical stability. This synergistic combination results in electrolytes with balanced properties that address multiple requirements simultaneously.

The hierarchical porous structure enhances both ionic conductivity and electrolyte-electrode interfacial contact, leading to improved rate capability and cycle life. The multiple transport pathways reduce the dependence on single transport mechanisms, providing redundancy that enhances overall system reliability.

Challenges and Future Directions

Synthesis Optimization

Controlling the synthesis parameters to achieve consistent and reproducible properties remains a significant challenge. The integration of biochar with MOF requires careful control of temperature, atmosphere, and reactant concentrations to ensure proper coordination and avoid phase separation. Development of standardized synthesis protocols will be essential for commercial viability.

Scalability represents another major challenge, as most current synthesis methods are limited to laboratory-scale production. The development of continuous processing methods and larger-scale activation facilities will be necessary to meet commercial demand while maintaining quality control.

Interface Engineering

Optimizing the interfaces between the composite electrolyte and electrode materials requires careful consideration of surface chemistry and mechanical properties. The development of compatible surface treatments and interface modifiers may be necessary to achieve optimal performance in complete battery systems.

Long-term interfacial stability under various environmental conditions, including temperature cycling and mechanical stress, needs further investigation. The development of accelerated testing protocols will help identify potential failure mechanisms and guide material improvements.

Performance Enhancement

While current performance metrics are promising, further improvements in ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability are desirable for competitive commercial applications. This may involve optimization of the MOF topology, investigation of alternative organic linkers, or incorporation of additional functional components.

The development of multifunctional electrolytes that provide additional capabilities such as thermal management or self-healing properties represents an exciting future direction that could further differentiate these materials from conventional alternatives.

Conclusion

Activated bamboo biochar integrated with Mn MOF represents a transformative approach to solid-state battery electrolyte development that successfully combines sustainability, performance, and economic viability. The unique properties of this composite system, including hierarchical porosity, multiple ion transport pathways, and electrochemical stability, position it as a promising candidate for next-generation energy storage applications.

The environmental benefits of utilizing bamboo waste and earth-abundant manganese align with global sustainability goals while offering competitive performance metrics compared to conventional materials. The demonstrated ionic conductivities, cycling stability, and temperature performance indicate that these materials have the potential to enable practical solid-state battery implementations across various applications.

Continued research focusing on synthesis optimization, interface engineering, and performance enhancement will be critical for realizing the full potential of these materials. The development of scalable manufacturing processes and comprehensive testing protocols will pave the way for commercial implementation, contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy storage technologies that can support the global transition to renewable energy systems.

The integration of bioinspired design principles with advanced materials science represents a powerful approach to addressing the complex challenges of energy storage, and activated bamboo biochar Mn MOF electrolytes exemplify the potential of this interdisciplinary strategy to deliver transformative technological solutions.

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Fri

18

Jul

2025

Fact check this for a biochar materials revolution

DISCLAIMER: this post definitely includes information from perplexity.ai pro search (Grok 4), deep research and labs that has not been 'properly' fact checked. It's a work in progress but I thought I'd give you the heads up and a good excuse why I've paused TLUDing for a while...

- Feedstock grown with regenerative principles integrating biochar in the soil eg. bamboo (fastest CO2 sequestering plant, high Si). A strong candidate is Moso (Phyllostachys edulis) which is a running bamboo that can be pyrolysed for biochar that exhibits electrical properties that make it suitable for various applications, particularly in energy storage and environmental remediation.
- according to the American Bamboo Society, the Botanical Classification of Bamboo is:
- **KINGDOM:** Plantae
- **PHYLUM (DIVISION):** Magnoliophyta
- **CLASS:** Liliopsida
- **SUBCLASS:** Commelinidae
- **ORDER:** Cyperales
- **FAMILY:** Gramineae (Poaceae)
- **SUBFAMILY:** Bambusoideae
- **TRIBE:** Bambuseae
- **SUBTRIBE:** bambusinae
- bamboo harvested, dried eg. <10% moisture content, chips->
- hopper->a- Pyrolysis eg. Joey/Cornell Uni 'Open source trough pyrolyser' (continuous)
- b-steam activation
- c-milled ?optimal particle size for Metal Organic Framework (MOF), OR 'abc' in an integrated industrial system, such as:
- https://www.bygen.com.au/
- hopper->a- pyrolysis to biochar->b- low temperature activation (LTA, uses 'gases') (more research eg. surface chemistry functionalisation, such as C-O-M bonding sites)->c- milled (to custom particle size)
- minerals for MOF eg.Manganese Mn (highest redox potential of earth-abundant metals. Oz is world's third largest producer (3 million metric tons) in 2023 behind 1-South Africa (7.2 million metric tons), 2-Gabon (4.6 million metric tons))
- fabrication of MOF for application-specific tunable chemistry
- **Functionalization of (Steam) Activated Biochar** (optional)
Further modify the activated biochar surface, if needed, to optimize functional groups for metal binding. This may involve mild chemical treatments to increase sites for C–O–M coordination bonds.
- **Mixing with Metal Precursors and Organic Linkers**
Combine the **functionalized biochar** with **metal salts** (e.g. Manganese precursors) and **organic linkers** (e.g., dicarboxylates) in a suitable solvent. This prepares the components for **self-assembly**
NOTE: ethanol or water can be used as a solvent.
A '**One pot**' process can possibly be used.
- **Self-Assembly under Controlled Conditions**
Allow spontaneous organization through coordination bonds and non-covalent interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonding) at mild temperatures (**room temperature** to 80°C) and controlled pH. This forms the 3D MOF network within the 3D biochar matrix.
- **Post-Synthesis Treatments**
Wash, dry, and possibly further activate the assembled MOF to remove impurities and stabilize the structure. This may include drying at low temperatures or additional thermal processing
- applications
- catalyst
- environmental remediation eg. organic pollutants, tetracyclines, dyes, heavy metal removal from water
- CO₂ Reduction and Gas Conversion eg. CO2 to fuel
- Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) eg. ?photocatalyst, electrocatalyst, for Green Hydrogen production
- energy storage
- supercapacitors
- batteries eg. anode and possibly cathode for Na ion
- hybrid eg. redox flow batteries
- desalination
- perovskites

***

A NEW AI SEARCH STRATEGY
Here's an example of keyword clustering for 'Carbon based materials' I put together after initial keyword searches. I organised the keywords into clusters that can be directly entered into the search query in perplexity.ai

1. keyword extraction considered 'important' from the initial searches
2. clustering of the keywords
3. keyword clusters fed back into follow up questions
4. Repeat 1, 2 and 3

Here they are:

- Carbon biology

- biochar

- biochar 3D matrix

- biochar surface chemistry and functionalised groups

- DNA self-assembly compared to Metal Organic Framework MOF self-assembly
- Carbon chemistry
- Carbon
- crystalline nano structures
- advanced Carbon materials
- steam activated activation
- temperature
- C-O-M bonds
- coordination bond mechanism
- perovskites
- Metal Organic Framework MOF
- template
- MOF topology
- earth-abundant metals for biochar MOF
- Fe-doped
- Manganese-doped
- Nickel-doped

- Na-doped
- synthesis parameters
- long-term stability mechanisms
- Carbon physics
- electrical parameters
- electrically conductive networks/pathways
- electrical conductivity EC
- capacitance
- cycling stability
- biochar
- pyrolysis
- temperature
- panel kilns

- TLUD

- rotary kilns

- trough pyrolyser
- Microwave Assisted Pyrolysis MAP
- GaN
- feedstock
- bamboo
- biochar
- Silicon-rich
- other feedstocks
- moisture content MC
- cellulose nano crystals CNC

Black gold digging section
- applications
- battery electrolyte anode cathode
- supercapacitors
- industry
- scalable production
- industrial processes
- manufacturing

Information about perplexity.ai

Lets pop the hood
- perplexity is a very clever chatbot - or - rather, a clever AI entity that has a long way to go before achieving AGI status
- here's some probing questions to ask it:
- what LLM does perplexity.ai 'Deep research' use and how does it work?
- Can perplexity.ai mine research behind paywalls?
- Does perplexity.ai store data from the academic research papers it reads?
- Why doesn't perplexity.ai use in-text page referencing?
- How is the perplexity.ai chatbot engineered?
- Is there a chatbot or LLM that provides inline page references of academic research papers?
- perplexity offers Pro, Deep Research or Labs searches. I've started using Labs with some interesting results generated.
- perplexity Labs is a new approach, creating tables, graphs, charts and possibly pictures, as well as deep research in between
- Web, academic, finance and social search categories are now available

An old research strategy that works extremely well

I go back to 'Problem Based Learning' research strategy that I learnt at University to cut through the smoke and mirrors of AI:
1 - define the problem->

2 - extract the data points (keywords)->

3 - build hypotheses based on the data points->

4 - create learning issues (questions) to test the hypotheses->

5 - compile a list of references to research the learning issues (perplexity.ai provides these plus additional web searches or even text books)->

6 - research the learning issues->

7 - refine existing hypotheses and build new hypotheses->

8 - create new learning issues to test the hypotheses->

9 - research the learning issues->

Repeat steps 7-9 until you are satisfied with the intel and have 'solved' the problem.

Here's some additional context:

-define the problem

- open a new 'thread' then start with open and general questions (LIs), based on testing a hypothesis, then 'zoom in' with every consecutive inquiry - just like a funnel
- the data points are the keywords. The LLM is finding existing and new relationships between the keywords
- follow references (in text with full references at the end) and hunt down research papers (if you can access them) and get to the primary source BUT often research paper references are completely out of context, some of them probably just get their abstracts mined and some are behind pay walls.
- search results not peer reviewed - the user becomes the peer. This means you get to compare your own 'expert knowledge' to the results - what are the consistencies and contradictions? How can they be resolved?
- use different internet search engines, as an additional layer for papers or ones not mentioned
- BUT what is the point of using AI if u need to fact check and evaluate it's sources? I suppose it needed to be done anyway for rigorous research but AI takes it to the next level of confusion!!
- basically, if Intel is used for critical business decision making, check the sources and get to the primary sources, assuming they're not already primary sources. Also, could run some identical Pro searches using different LLMs eg.Grok 4
- new knowledge, if it can be recognized with prior fact-checked knowledge, is also difficult to fact check because there's no prior history

That's all for now!

0 Comments

Tue

08

Jul

2025

Live what you imagine is possible

At a high level it's crystal clear that climate change acceleration is caused by humans and humans are adaptable by nature and can adapt to the new climate change paradigm.
It matters to people that want to stop it, especially those people who have been directly impacted by it.
I want to slow it down and stop it.

I want to see climate change deceleration until we achieve a stable and safe climate system once again.

A fossil Carbon export tax could be collected and invested in many areas of the transitional economy, including moving towards a regenerative circular bioeconomy.

A financial commitment to Carbon negative technology with a 'National Pyrolysis Strategy' should be one such area, with applications throughout the economy.
Carbon negative technology producing biochar is linked to Carbon chemistry. Carbon chemistry from the lab to the factory has been a major problem for many Carbon chemists, and chemists in general. A lot more Carbon chemistry funding at the University level could be part of the pyrolysis strategy which could position the developing manufacturing industry very nicely for the future.
I've designed an open source Top-Lit Updraft (TLUD) below that can be used for lab scale biochar/Carbon experiments. For eg., pyrolysis in the TLUD kiln of Silicon-rich bamboo, with high cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), low Moisture Content (MC), at high temperature for high surface area biochar can be used either unmodified or as a feedstock precursor for 'Flash Joule Heating' (FJH, improved with high electrically conductive networks/pathways in the bamboo biochar) for Carbon chemistry (eg.graphene) used to produce Carbon-based (doped?) battery anodes, solid state battery electrolytes, supercapacitors, solar perovskites, electronics and more. Crystalline nano structures are the key to this research! These products could be manufactured in Australia with 'enough' financial support linking in to the private sector. Carbon chemistry is a highly competitive field, as is the future of the Planet, with great rewards for first movers.

Anyone interested in building a research TLUD please contact me and we can talk shop.

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Thu

26

Jun

2025

How can biochar Civilisation fight climate change?

At the heart of anthropogenic climate change is the Carbon Cycle out of balance. After almost 300 years of Industrialisation, so much Carbon has been released into the atmosphere that the Carbon Cycle is now at breaking point with atmospheric Carbon emissions dominating the greenhouse gases that are heating up the climate. Many INGOs, Nations, NGOs, businesses and individuals are moving fast to permanently remove these Carbon emissions already up there and avoid creating new Carbon emissions.

A whole new industry has sprung up known as the 'Carbon Removal Marketplace' or CRM. There are a number of Carbon removal technologies being used with variable complexity of the methodologies used to Measure, Report and Verify them for awarding Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) or Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) credits. The majority of credits issued and purchased (~90%) have been for biochar, a form of biological charcoal that is produced from biomass (waste) with fire in a limited Oxygen environment in a process known as pyrolysis. Research in 2023 suggests that biochar, if meeting the 'Interinite Benchmark', can have a half life of 100 million years!

Biochar is not new. Around 2500 BP (Before Present) biochar was produced by Pre-Columbian Indians in the Amazon rainforest in the form of Terra Preta de Indio, or Amazon Dark Earth (ADE). I suggest reading this fascinating overview found here:
https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/73242
In the 1980s aerial studies were performed over the ADE region and mapped an area the size of France. ADE was, and still is, incredibly fertile with robust water adsorption and slow release capability, habitat for soil microbes, increased soil porosity and structure, enhanced Cation Exchange Capacity and reduction in Nitrous Oxide (NOx) and methane (CH4) emissions from the soil. In 2004-2005, 'biochar' was coined by Peter Read, a Kiwi climate scientist and research fellow at Massey University, New Zealand, to describe charcoal made from biomass intended for agricultural use. The term was adopted by The International Biochar Initiative, formed following the First International Agrichar Conference held in 2007, and, in my opinion, the 'Biochar Revolution' had begun. Dr Paul Taylor later wrote a book called 'The Biochar Revolution' with early case studies and tips and tricks - I'm selling them cheap if you want a copy...

In 2009, while studying a Diploma of Permaculture, I met the late Geoff Moxham living in Northern New South Wales in Australia who was researching biochar to raise awareness and demonstrated a small biochar-producing Top-Lit UpDraft stove (TLUD, pyroneered by Paul B. Wendelbo, Dr Thomas B. Reed and Dr Paul S. Anderson (Dr TLUD)). I was fascinated by the technology and began building them, eventually upcycling a water heater into a TLUD for my main project. I finished my Diploma in 2010, went to Nepal and promoted biochar through SADP, an agricultural NGO. Hans-Peter Schmidt later built a Citizen Science program in Nepal and popularised the Kon-Tiki biochar kilns. I returned to Australia then started designing and building more TLUDs and biochar kilns, including the Pyramid (designed by Kelpie Wilson which I modded - she also pioneered the 'Ring of Fire' flame cap biochar kiln), Kon-Tiki cone kiln (pioneered by Hans-Peter Schmidt and Dr Paul Taylor - which I also modded), and many flatpacked variations of 'Flame cap' biochar kilns, including the 'Flat Modular Biochar Kiln' that has been improved upon with my latest kiln design, the Flame Cap 'Algorithm' Panel Kiln (co-designed with Dr TLUD), which can be used at the small to medium scale, in field with expandable volume and flatpacked logistics with the potential for Biochar Carbon Credits using a yet to be built thermal imagery based dMRV. My latest TLUDs are the DIY Navigator series - simple to grind off stainless steel tube eg. Chimney flue, exhaust, tube. My latest design is on the 'Bush Survival System' page, called the Navigator 'Awesome' V2 which is still under testing. So, the technologies are continually improving, becoming more appropriate on the small to medium scale and bigger at the large scale eg. ECHO2, Charcell(TM) and adoption is now widespread around the world and increasing exponentially. What's probably more important than biochar production technology is biochar application.
What can it be used for?

The main applications, in my opinion, are growing systems eg.agriculture, forestry, agroforestry (trees, swales and Zai pits), horticulture (greenhouse growing media) etc., cooking and WASH (water pasteurization on a TLUD produces Biochar that can then be used in water filtration (if needed), sanitation (Biochar and bokashi) and hygiene (clean water)). Hard infrastructure eg. charcrete, asphalt, hempcharcrete etc is also a major application now, which can use biochar after it has been applied to water filtration adsorbing dyes, heavy metals, industrial chemicals, agricultural chemicals, antibiotics and more that renders biochar unsuitable for growing systems. Biochar can also be used as a filler eg. resins, Carbon fibre and more. It can be used for electromagnetic radiation shielding, doped/undoped for battery anodes and also supercapacitors. The list keeps growing. Biochar materials science, mainly carried out in China, is on the cutting edge of biochar R&D.

With all these existing and new applications, it's possible and plausible that by 2030 biochar Carbon removal could be on the Gigaton scale at the global level, accelerated by Government policies eg. Denmark has a 'National Pyrolysis Strategy', and CDR/BCR credits, mentioned earlier, purchased from the people that make the biochar aka the 'Charistas' with a CRM platform eg.carbonfuture.earth, puro.earth, HCS etc. operating between the credit purchaser and the Charista. With all this excitement around biochar, it's important to remember that permanent Carbon removal is half of the equation - the other half is reducing Carbon emissions. Fossil fuel combustion is roughly responsible for 90% of global Carbon emissions (according to the UN but there's also a load of statistics out there if you are interested?). Can biochar replace fossil fuel? Kind of. Transport, for example, is moving towards electrification and biochar anodes can be used in batteries. Potentially too, biomass to biochar bioelectricity technology, on or off grid, could be charging car batteries when stationary. There are also many chemicals and plastics produced from fossil fuels. Biochar should be able to make some inroads here such as reducing/displacing the number of fossil-based chemicals and fertilisers in agriculture. Also, work is being done in the plastic space, where pyrolysed plastic eg. using Gallium Nitride (GaN) based Microwave Assisted Pyrolysis (MAP), can be used as a precursor for advanced Carbon materials. MAP can also produce bio-oil, as a by-product of pyrolysis, for monomers to produce new plastic or production of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel.

I'm predicting that in the future, biochar and biochar-based materials will be ubiquitous, pioneered by many new production technologies, materials and projects, which gives me some hope. I believe 'Biochar Civilisation' can take humanity far further than the Amazonian Indians could have ever dreamed of but will the Carbon Cycle be rebalanced in time before Climate Change runs away? More science still needs to be done in the biochar field, which is now trans-disciplinary, but I guess researching biochar (try the 'Farmers Guide' at ANZBIG, by Professor Stephen Joseph and Dr Paul Taylor), making biochar or investing in 'Charistas' is a great starting point if you're not doing it already. Many online (and offline eg. 'Burn: Using Fire to Cool the Earth', by Albert Bates and Kathleen Draper) resources are now availabe. Something to think about and get involved in. Thanks for your time!

0 Comments

Sun

08

Jun

2025

Earth Survival System V3 (off-grid)

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Thu

22

May

2025

Waste not want not - Silly (but at times necessary) Linear Energy to Awesome Integrated Circular Bioeconomy Transition

How could it work?

For starters

Mining (linear minerals + circular plants, with biochar)->Materials->manufacturing->technology->industry sectors connected in a circular bioeconomy
BUT will we ever have a 100% circular bioeconomy? Probably NEVER. But, it's goal posts on the horizon.

The problem is, for 'Made in Australia' week, I believe we need to move backwards from the ideal sustainable economy back to the technologies that will fit the ideal and benefit the Country with a possibility in some cases for exports.

I've blogged extensively for years about the ideal technologies we need for what I now call 'Sustainable adaptation'. It's a problem for the free market and what incentives and disincentives the Gov can offer.

The days of linear energy eg.fossil Carbon, are nearing an end but there's still a long way to go to 'phase out' completely, if it ever happens. 'Critical minerals' are open to debate. Why? Because green chemistry, including Carbon/plant based chemistry, is taking over industrial design thinking in my opinion.

There's also undiscovered technologies with applications that no one has ever imagined. Funding that is applied to all stages of idea to commercialisation is needed. Manufacturing needs new Industry 4.0 thinking but backed up with Australian manufactured tools, machinery, plant industry and critical minerals, with more apprenticeships keyed into the now and the future.

Circular renewable energy is possible with biomass to biochar and bio-electricity. Solar and wind turbines, with clever industrial design, can be upcycled at the end of their lifespan. Some big batteries are becoming more circular too, once again with upcycling potential at the end of their lifespan.

'Critical minerals' are a moving target. For eg. Sodium (Na) battery R&D, for consumer batteries, is getting a lot of attention as researchers and companies are looking for a greener and more ubiquitous option than Lithium (Li), which is still being considered as a 'critical' battery mineral. So much investment has gone into Li mining, which also uses a huge amount of water (especially from brine mining such as Salar de Uyuni) but Na is pulling ahead and can be mined from desalination brine produced from Redox Flow Desalination batteries while producing potable water and storing renewable energy at the same time. This is just a drop in the ocean in terms of what technologies are being designed, built and commercialised now. Years to start up a mine is a financially risky business. Plant industry can be built much faster and is more flexible with more sites for growing/harvesting than geologically specific mineral deposits. There's mine approval too.

There's one thing for certain in the biochar technology world - biomass waste and steel are King. 'Green steel' is really the next step towards a sustainable supply chain for biochar stoves and kilns. I'm hoping that our 'Green steel' thought leaders, such as Twiggy Forrest, will eventually greentech every step of the steel supply chain. Failing that, steel manufacturers could be buying Biochar Carbon Removal credits from CRM platforms and pay the Charistas making the biochar and permanently removing the Carbon from the atmosphere. Who knows, waste biomass (if it's accessible eg.desert areas have less) to biochar and bio-electricity tech could be used at steel mills earning BCR credits, possibly as a primary or backup power supply to solar and/or wind, even storing energy in the RFD batteries during desalination for potable water partly used for 'Green Hydrogen' or, as I've mentioned previously, produced directly from seawater (plus using energy from the RFD battery for electrolysis) enabling the arguably higher value potable water used for human consumption.

So overall, from biomass waste and seawater inputs it's conceptually possible to get biochar (various applications), energy storage for dispatchable power (industry and residential), potable water (drinking), 'Green Hydrogen' (for Iron ore reduction) and Sodium (from the salty desal brine for consumer batteries).

Work out the tech and reverse engineer all the way back to the mine and the field/forest/desert/savannah etc. atmosphere and oceans.

However,

There's also Dr TLUD's 'Obtainium' approach that is used by most appropriate technologists. Basically, design and build a technology with what you are able to 'obtain', preferably locally sourced and using materials that are common throughout the world for a more global approach that can help more people. This is what I've done with many TLUD designs. For eg., the Rock Solid Oil Drum V3 TLUD (see web page) upcycled 2 x 20L oil drums from the tip/dump/waste recycling centre.

What do you think?

0 Comments

Mon

19

May

2025

Key technologies for biochar circular bioeconomy

1. Biochar
    1. Plants
        1. Various applications for various industries
        2. Plant waste->Biochar
    2. Biomass processing tools
        1. Hand tools
            1. Silky Gomboy bush saw
            2. Stihl chainsaws
                1. Small electric with battery
                2. Larger petrol/?larger electric
        2. Machinery
            1. Chippers
            2. ?Ryobi crusher for Permafert eg. green waste
            3. Pelletisers for TLUDs
                1. Nova Pellet/Arco International 'N-Pico' (for small quantities but haven't purchased and tried one yet)
        3. Biomass drying
            1. Tarps
            2. Shed(s)
            3. Possible kiln cogeneration (eg.CharCell/Continuous Pyrolysis Plant (CPP) with biomass dryer module)
    3. Biochar production technology
        1. Stoves
            1. Navigator TLUDs
                1. Burner
                2. 'Backup' or 'Light'
            2. Many more!
        2. Kilns
            1. Pyramid
            2. Rock Solid Oil Drum V3 TLUD (need to test)
            3. Kon-Tiki 'Essential' (proven in the field over 2 biochar seasons so far)
            4. Flame Cap 'Algorithm' Panel Kiln (need to build and test)
            5. Bigger ones $
                1. CharCell
                2. CPP
                3. Various 'open source' designs and adaptations eg. Joey's trough pyrolyser
    4. Biochar processing
        1. Mills
            1. Adjustable roller mill, bioenergy/electric
    5. Logistics
        1. Trailer + car
        2. Ute
        3. Small truck
        4. Bigger trucks
    6. Applications
        1. Air filtration
        2. Water filtration
        3. Sewage treatment (with bokashi) OR at larger scales, sewage can be pyrolysed (1)
        4. Permafert
            1. Inoculated Biochar ~40%
                1. Milled THEN
                2. Soaked in water tight vessel eg. upcycled HDPE ethanol drums cut in half longitudinally
                    1. Liquid sea kelp
                    2. EM
                    3. Molasses
                    4. Fungal spores
            2. Additional ingredients ~40%
                1. Humanure/Animal manure
                2. Bokashi
                3. Additional C and N
            3. Soil (Optional) ~20%
                1. Clay
                2. Minerals
                3. Microbiology/'Soil Food Web'
        5. Food and medicine growing systems
            1. Wheelbarrow
            2. Hand tools
                1. Cyclone Burr hoe
                2. Square shovel
                3. Round nosed shovel (long handle)
                4. Steel landscape rake
                5. Cyclone post hole digger (bioenergy)/electric
            3. Systems
                1. Wicking pots
                2. Wicking modules
                3. Wicking beds (various designs)
                4. Wicking IBCs (cut in half)
                5. Wicking troughs (charcrete) with recycled PET/PETE fabric pots
                6. Regenerative Agroforestry Systems (RAS)
                    1. Zai pits
                    2. Swales
                    3. Zai pit/Swale hybrid
            4. Earthworks
                1. Dingo
                2. Many options
            5. Machinery $, industrial row systems/other systems
                1. Quad bike with trailer (logistics between rows)
                2. Trench digger
                3. Tractor
                    1. Post hole auger (tree holes and fencing)
                    2. Bucket (earthworks)
                    3. Seed drill ('no till')
                    4. Biochar Spreader eg. into root zone
        6. End of Biochar use cascade
            1. If low quality and non-toxic biochar
                1. Wetlands
                2. Conservation
                3. Landscaping
            2. If Biochar is toxic eg. adsorbed Heavy metals, agrichemicals, POPs etc.
                1. Concrete = 'CharCrete'
                2. Asphalt (biochar in various combinations with other ingredients)

(1) Solid state (GaN) Microwave Assisted Pyrolysis (MAP) with granular digital control of microwave frequency, amplitude and phase for running a 'sewage' (or any Carbon based feedstock) program that is 'AI tweaked' in real-time based on sensor feedback for energy efficiency of dielectric heating of the feedstock inside the pyrolysis reactor during pyrolysis. The program 'remembers' the tweaks and improves efficiency of the program for every subsequent continuous/batch run of the same feedstock.

Learning Issue: What is the most appropriate sensor/sensor array to measure the efficiency of dielectric heating of the feedstock during pyrolysis? eg. reactor temperature, flue gas composition, Electrical Conductivity or Electrical Resistance etc.

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Wed

14

May

2025

Possible (chronic) climate emergency moves to make

Prosperity with 'linear degrowth' and 'circular regrowth'.

A perplexity.ai sceptic is needed for deep research...

Business opportunities aplenty...

Policy ideas for the Oz Gov

1. Increase economic complexity
    1. Insurance policy to Global tariff wars
    2. Manufacturing for the niches (when the landscape can be read with some certainty)
2. Pull the Ancient Sunlight Lever
    1. Moratorium of new fossil mines and expansions
3. Variable fossil C export tax
    1. Reactive to world fossil market
    2. Funds Oz digital and physical infrastructure, health and education etc.

4. National Pyrolysis Strategy (in the footsteps of Denmark)
1. Australian Biochar Industry 2030 Roadmap, anzbig.org

2. Pre-seed funding for biochar ideas to get to prototype for seed funding

eg. Flame Cap' Algorithm' Panel Kiln/dMRV app interface for a Carbon Removal Marketplace (CRM) platform

5. Total Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) measured for ACCUs
1. Biochar in soil counted for total SOC

6. Quantum proofing/post-quantum digital infrastructure
1. eg.Vaulted Ventures

Greentech stuff

Biochar applications

1. air filtration

2. water filtration
3. Agriculture/Forestry/Agroforestry/Horticulture/Conservation applications

4. Hard infrastructure Carbon sinks eg. concrete, asphalt etc. at the end of the Carbon Removal in a Cascade of Uses (CRCU) where biochar is used to remove heavy metals or chemicals
5. Advanced C materials eg.Carbon fibre, graphene, battery anodes, supercaps, PVs etc.

6. Permaculture and biochar (small scale to bioregional scale integrated systems)

Plant industry
    1. Hemp
        1. Housing eg. Hempcharcrete
        2. Microalgae for CaCO3->C negative lime

3. Hemp seed, CBD etc.

        4. plant waste to biochar
    2. Bamboo
        1. Building
        2. Biochar
            1. Battery anodes
            2. Supercapacitors

            3. plant waste to biochar
    3. Macroalgae (Kelp)
        1. Inoculated biochar with liquid sea kelp
        2. Battery anodes

3. building materials

4. plant waste to biochar
4. Microalgae

1. protein

2. pharmaceuticals

3. lime (CaCO3)

4. lipids/oils

5. plant waste to biochar

Measured Irrigation
1. Small to large irrigation systems

Green Steel
1. Electrified mining equipment
2. Green H2, for iron oxide reduction, powered by Redox Flow Desalination (RFD) stored energy

(RFD can store renewable energy from any source eg. solar, wind etc. with simultaneous desalination of salty water for potable water. See https://tmdlab.org/research-1/RFD for a concise overview or the full article at the end of the blog)
3. Sodium mining from RFD brine for 3D printed Na-air SSBs

Green Aluminium
1. Bauxite with Gallium extracted for GaN transistors for amplifiers to use solid state Microwave Assisted Pyrolysis (MAP) for digital control of frequency and amplitude (and energy efficiency)
2. Green H2

https://www.csiro.au/en/research/environmental-impacts/fuels/hydrogen/Hydrogen-for-alumina

Plastic upcycling and bioplastics
    1. MAP for hydrocarbon-based plastics
        1. Plastic char to ?Graphene or ?other advanced C materials (experimental)
        2. Pyrolysis condensate->bio-oil->ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) OR monomers->new plastic
        3. Syngas->Bioelectricity
            1. Stirling engine eg. Alpha-Gamma https://frauscher-motors.com/gen70xx-series/
            2. Self-powered MAP
            3. Excess to micro-grid/grid
    2. Hemp bioplastic

Sewage treatment
1. MAP->biochar

That's all for now!

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Thu

17

Apr

2025

'All in one' computer

Communications are essential. The 'Fairphone' (fairphone.com) is a great ethical concept and will last many years. I've been thinking about an alternative 'All in one' computer for a number of years that could replace a smartphone, tablet, laptop, camera and torch.

Here are the specs:

Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS OS
Built to last: specced to IP68/IP69K-rated, MIL-STD-810G with port seals
10.1 inch colour e-ink touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass Armor 2
Resolution up to 2560x1600
Intel Celeron N150 (4C/4T, 6W processor base power up to 25W at 3.6GHz but could be underclocked for a fanless system) (CPU/GPU)
16Gb of RAM (Max for N150) (clockable up to 4800MHz - but only if needed, and might need a fan)
2Tb SSD storage
2 x HDMI 2.1 ports
2 x USB C 3.2 ports (Thunderbolt 4, one for charging with PD)
2 x USB A 3.2 ports
3.5mm headphone port
2W Harman Kardon speakers
Bluetooth 6.0
Wifi 6 (supports ac 2.4/5 GHz)
Ethernet port (10/100/1000 Mbps) (optional higher transfer rate)
dual SIM 4G LTE (optional 5G)
GPS (many bands)
front (16Mp) and rear (64MP) Carl Zeiss cameras + LED array for torch (optional infrared and night vision)
SD card slot (up to 2Tb)
on-screen keyboard + optional external keyboard/external mouse (via USB A 3.1 ports)
solid state battery: large capacity eg. 20,000mAh, light, small size footprint, super thermally stable eg. wide operating temperature, durable, fast charging, removable/replaceable

What to do you think? Any ideas please get in touch. Maybe one for Aussie engineering? Manufacturing?

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Tue

15

Apr

2025

Bokashi and Biochar

It's been a little while since the last blog. I've had a chance to research bokashi for anaerobic fermentation of organic waste and it occurred to me it would work great with biochar, which can soak up liquids, reduce odour and provide microbial habitat. I also get emails from Kelpie Wilson's substack and it looks like she beat me to it.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-148238556

Bokashi, Biochar eg.wood, bamboo etc. and humanure (off-grid: unpowered eg. no seat warmer or pop up lid with motion sensor; no plumbing/use of potable water; no extra chemicals; no digging)
One of the applications that interested me in Kelpie's article was off-grid emergency humanitarian relief, in this case due to a wildfire/bushfire. 'Unnatural' climate disasters are becoming the norm around the world.

Bring on the eco-friendly off-grid dunnies!

The biochar could be sourced from biochar produced from TLUDs, such as the Navigator 'Backup' TLUD (see page and photos below) or Bush Survival System (which will soon be tested - see earlier blog), possibly after using it in a gravity fed water filtration system, such as the Permafilter 20L (see photos below).

This is definitely an area that warrants more research as it could help billions of people with lack of access to safe sanitation. According to WHO (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sanitation):

In 2022, 57% of the global population (4.6 billion people) used a safely managed sanitation service.
Over 1.5 billion people still do not have basic sanitation services, such as private toilets or latrines.
Of these, 419 million still defecate in the open, for example in street gutters, behind bushes or into open bodies of water.

Pretty shocking stuff. Bokashi, biochar, bioplastic toilet seat and 20L bioplastic bucket manufacturing and logistics can improve public health! Not enough eco-friendly toilets...

I would also suggest that the humanure can be added to larger compost systems for growing systems, also using bokashi and Biochar, possibly using biochar from the Flame Cap 'Algorithm' Panel kiln (see page for design), Ring of Fire (available in the US), Kon-Tiki 'Essential' (see page - CADs available for sale) possibly with additional animal manure eg. Poultry or Cow, plus some biomass waste, such as kitchen scraps and chipped prunings eg. Olive, fruit trees; straw etc.

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