Greenhouse gas recovery performance of chitin-derived porous carbons from waste chitinous biomass

Hun-Seung Jeong; Byung-Joo Kim

doi:10.1016/j.jobab.2026.100236

Volume 11 Issue 2

May 2026

Turn off MathJax

Article Contents

Article Navigation > Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts > 2026 > 11(2): 100236

Hun-Seung Jeong, Byung-Joo Kim. Greenhouse gas recovery performance of chitin-derived porous carbons from waste chitinous biomass[J]. Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, 2026, 11(2): 100236. doi: 10.1016/j.jobab.2026.100236

Citation:

Hun-Seung Jeong, Byung-Joo Kim. Greenhouse gas recovery performance of chitin-derived porous carbons from waste chitinous biomass[J]. Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, 2026, 11(2): 100236. doi: 10.1016/j.jobab.2026.100236

Citation:

PDF( 1822 KB)

Greenhouse gas recovery performance of chitin-derived porous carbons from waste chitinous biomass

doi: 10.1016/j.jobab.2026.100236

Hun-Seung Jeong^a,b,
Byung-Joo Kim^{a,c
,
,}

a Materials Application Research Institute, Jeonju University, Jeonju 55069, South Korea;
b Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea;
c Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Jeonju University, Jeonju 55069, South Korea

Funds:

This work was supported by the Material Parts Technology Development Project (No. RS-2024-00434503), funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE), Republic of Korea. Additional support was provided by the Regional Innovation System & Education (RISE) program through the Jeonbuk RISE Center, funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Jeonbuk State, Republic of Korea (No. 2025-RISE-13-JJU).

Received Date: 2025-10-29
Accepted Date: 2026-01-18
Rev Recd Date: 2025-12-23

Available Online: 2026-05-07

Publish Date: 2026-01-30

Abstract

Abstract

This work upcycled waste chitin-based shells into porous carbons via a chemical-free steam activation route using only N₂ and water vapor, and investigated their adsorption/desorption behaviors toward the greenhouse gas n-butane. The textural and structural properties of chitin-based porous carbons (Ch-PCs) were characterized by N₂ adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The n-butane working capacity (butane activity and retentivity) was also evaluated. The Ch-PCs exhibited specific surface areas of 720-1350 m²/g and total pore volumes of 0.53-1.10 cm³/g, with micropore volumes of 0.25-0.48 cm³/g and mesopore volumes of 0.28-0.62 cm³/g. As the activation time increased, the n-butane adsorption capacity increased from 22.3% to 43.6%, while the retentivity (residual adsorption) decreased from 16.9% to 9.2%. The n-butane adsorption/desorption behaviors were strongly correlated with the pore structure of the Ch-PCs. The adsorption capacity showed a strong relationship with the pore size of 1.0-3.0 nm, whereas the retentivity was mainly associated with the pore size of 3.0-5.0 nm. These findings demonstrated that steam-activated chitin-derived carbons, prepared from waste biomass by a chemical-free activation process, could serve as promising bio-based adsorbents for efficient greenhouse gas capture and recovery.
- Chitin-derived porous carbon,
- Steam activation,
- Pore structure development,
- Butane working capacity,
- Greenhouse gas recovery

FullText(HTML)

References(47)

References

[1]	Baek, J., Lee, H.M., An, K.H., Kim, B.J., 2019. Preparation and characterization of highly mesoporous activated short carbon fibers from kenaf precursors. Carbon Lett. 29, 393–399.
[2]	Barrett, E.P., Joyner, L.G., Halenda, P.P., 1951. The determination of pore volume and area distributions in porous substances. I. computations from nitrogen isotherms. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 73, 373–380.
[3]	Bayón, B., Berti, I.R., Gagneten, A.M., Castro, G.R., 2017. Biopolymers from wastes to high-value products in biomedicine. In: Singhania, R., Agarwal, R., Kumar, R., Sukumaran, R. (Eds.). Waste to Wealth. Singapore: Springer Singapore, 1–44.
[4]	Bazan-Wozniak, A., Nosal-Wiercińska, A., Yilmaz, S., Pietrzak, R., 2024. Chitin-based porous carbons from Hermetia illucens fly with large surface area for efficient adsorption of methylene blue; adsorption mechanism, kinetics and equilibrium studies. Measurement 226, 114129.
[5]	Becker, S., Fanzo, J., 2023. Population and food systems: what does the future hold? Popul. Environ. 45, 20.
[6]	Biscoe, J., Warren, B.E., 1942. An X-ray study of carbon black. J. Appl. Phys. 13, 364–371.
[7]	Birkmann, F., Pasel, C., Luckas, M., Bathen, D., 2017. Trace adsorption of ethane, propane, and n-butane on microporous activated carbon and zeolite 13X at low temperatures. J. Chem. Eng. Data 62, 1973–1982.
[8]	Bodirsky, B.L., Rolinski, S., Biewald, A., Weindl, I., Popp, A., Lotze-Campen, H., 2015. Global food demand scenarios for the 21st century. PLoS One 10, e0139201.
[9]	Brunauer, S., Emmett, P.H., Teller, E., 1938. Adsorption of gases in multimolecular layers. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 60, 309–319.
[10]	Fróna, D., Szenderák, J., Harangi-Rákos, M., 2019. The challenge of feeding the world. Sustainability 11(20), 1–18.
[11]	Heidarinejad, Z., Dehghani, M.H., Heidari, M., Javedan, G., Ali, I., Sillanpää, M., 2020. Methods for preparation and activation of activated carbon: a review. Environ. Chem. Lett. 18, 393–415.
[12]	van Huis, A., Oonincx, D.G.A.B., 2017. The environmental sustainability of insects as food and feed: a review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 37, 43.
[13]	Hyeon, G.W., Lee, G.B., Kang, D.J., Lee, S.E., Seong, K.M., Park, J.E., Hyeon, G.W., Lee, G.B., Kang, D.J., Lee, S.E., Seong, K.M., Park, J.E., 2025. Optimization of activated carbon synthesis from spent coffee grounds for enhanced adsorption performance. Molecules 30, 2557.
[14]	Itoi, H., Saeki, G., Usami, T., Takagi, S., Suzuki, H., Ishii, T., Iwata, H., Ohzawa, Y., 2024. Activation-free synthesis of chitin-derived porous carbon: application for electrical energy storage. ACS Sustain. Resour. Manage. 1, 743–756.
[15]	Ji, Q.S., Li, H.C., 2021. High surface area activated carbon derived from chitin for efficient adsorption of crystal violet. Diam. Relat. Mater. 118, 108516.
[16]	Karimi, M., Shirzad, M., Silva, J.A.C., Rodrigues, A.E., 2023. Carbon dioxide separation and capture by adsorption: a review. Environ. Chem. Lett., 1–44.
[17]	Khanday, W.A., Ahmed, M.J., Okoye, P.U., Hummadi, E.H., Hameed, B.H., 2019. Single-step pyrolysis of phosphoric acid-activated chitin for efficient adsorption of cephalexin antibiotic. Bioresour. Technol. 280, 255–259.
[18]	Khubiev, O.M., Egorov, A.R., Kirichuk, A.A., Khrustalev, V.N., Tskhovrebov, A.G., Kritchenkov, A.S., 2023. Chitosan-based antibacterial films for biomedical and food applications. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 24, 10738.
[19]	Kim, J.H., Jung, S.C., Lee, H.M., Kim, B.J., 2022. Comparison of pore structures of cellulose-based activated carbon fibers and their applications for electrode materials. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 23, 3680.
[20]	Kumar, M., Vivekanand, V., Pareek, N., 2020. Insect chitin and chitosan: structure, properties, production, and implementation prospective. In: Kumar, D., Shahid, M. (Eds.). Natural Materials and Products from Insects: Chemistry and Applications. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 51–66.
[21]	Lee, B.H., Kim, Y.J., Lee, H.M., Kim, B.J., 2024. Preparation and characterization of pitch-derived activated carbon pellet for butane adsorption. Carbon Lett. 34, 691–701.
[22]	Lee, B.H., Lee, H.M., Chung, D.C., Kim, B.J., 2021. Effect of mesopore development on butane working capacity of biomass-derived activated carbon for automobile canister. Nanomaterials 11, 673.
[23]	Lee, H.M., Lee, B.H., An, K.H., Park, S.J., Kim, B.J., 2020. Facile preparation of activated carbon with optimal pore range for high butane working capacity. Carbon Lett. 30, 297–305.
[24]	Lee, H.M., Lee, B.H., Kim, J.H., An, K.H., Park, S.J., Kim, B.J., 2019a. Determination of the optimum porosity for 2-CEES adsorption by activated carbon fiber from various precursors. Carbon Lett. 29, 649–654.
[25]	Lee, H.M., Lee, B.H., Park, S.J., An, K.H., Kim, B.J., 2019b Pitch-derived activated carbon fibers for emission control of low-concentration hydrocarbon. Nanomaterials 9, 2557.
[26]	Lippens, B.C., de Boer, J.H., 1965. Studies on pore systems in catalysts: V. The t method. J. Catal. 4, 319–323.
[27]	Mawazi, S.M., Kumar, M., Ahmad, N., Ge, Y., Mahmood, S., 2024. Recent applications of chitosan and its derivatives in antibacterial, anticancer, wound healing, and tissue engineering fields. Polymers (Basel) 16, 1351.
[28]	Mehdipour-Ataei, S., Aram, E., 2023. Mesoporous carbon-based materials: a review of synthesis, modification, and applications. Catalysts 13, 2.
[29]	Philibert, T., Lee, B.H., Fabien, N., 2017. Current status and new perspectives on chitin and chitosan as functional biopolymers. Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 181, 1314–1337.
[30]	Pires, J., Fernandes, R., Pinto, M.L., Batista, M., 2021. Microporous volumes from nitrogen adsorption at 77 K: when to use a different standard isotherm? Catalysts 11: 1544.
[31]	Popova, A.N., 2017. Crystallographic analysis of graphite by X-ray diffraction. Coke Chem. 60, 361–365.
[32]	Raj, C.J., Rajesh, M., Manikandan, R., Yu, K.H., Anusha, J.R., Ahn, J.H., Kim, D.W., Park, S.Y., Kim, B.C., 2018. High electrochemical capacitor performance of oxygen and nitrogen enriched activated carbon derived from the pyrolysis and activation of squid gladius chitin. J. Power Sources 386, 66–76.
[33]	Rehman, K.U., Hollah, C., Wiesotzki, K., Heinz, V., Aganovic, K., Rehman, R.U., Petrusan, J.I., Zheng, L.Y., Zhang, J.B., Sohail, S., Mansoor, M.K., Rumbos, C.I., Athanassiou, C., Cai, M.M., 2023. Insect-derived chitin and chitosan: a still unexploited resource for the edible insect sector. Sustainability 15, 4864.
[34]	Ryu, D.Y., Kim, D.W., Kang, Y.J., Lee, Y., Nakabayashi, K., Miyawaki, J., Park, J.I., Yoon, S.H., 2022. Preparation of environmental-friendly N-rich chitin-derived activated carbon for the removal of formaldehyde. Carbon Lett. 32, 1473–1479.
[35]	Salomone, R., Saija, G., Mondello, G., Giannetto, A., Fasulo, S., Savastano, D., 2017. Environmental impact of food waste bioconversion by insects: application of life cycle assessment to process using Hermetia illucens. J. Clean. Prod. 140, 890–905.
[36]	Siddiqui, S.A., Osei-Owusu, J., Yunusa, B.M., Rahayu, T., Fernando, I., Shah, M.A., Centoducati, G., 2023. Prospects of edible insects as sustainable protein for food and feed: a review. J. Insects Food Feed 10, 191–217.
[37]	Sing, K.S.W., 1995. Physisorption of nitrogen by porous materials. J. Porous Mater. 2, 5–8.
[38]	Smetana, S., Bhatia, A., Batta, U., Mouhrim, N., Tonda, A., 2023. Environmental impact potential of insect production chains for food and feed in Europe. Anim. Front. 13, 112–120.
[39]	Tachaboonyakiat, W., 2021. Physical and chemical modification of chitin/chitosan for functional wound dressings. In: Jayakumar, R., Prabaharan, M. (Eds.). Chitosan For Biomaterials III. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 257–299.
[40]	Thambiliyagodage, C., Jayanetti, M., Mendis, A., Ekanayake, G., Liyanaarachchi, H., Vigneswaran, S., 2023. Recent advances in chitosan-based applications: a review. Materials (Basel) 16, 2073.
[41]	Thangadurai, D., Ahuja, V., Sangeetha, J., Naik, J., Hospet, R., David, M., Shettar, A.K., Torvi, A., Thimmappa, S.C., Pujari, N., 2021. Mesoporous nanomaterials: properties and applications in environmental sector. In: Kharissova, O.V., Torres-Martínez, L.M., Kharisov, B.I. (Eds.). Handbook of Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites for Energy and Environmental Applications. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 403–420.
[42]	Thommes, M., Kaneko, K., Neimark, A.V., Olivier, J.P., Rodriguez-Reinoso, F., Rouquerol, J., Sing, K.S.W., 2015. Physisorption of gases, with special reference to the evaluation of surface area and pore size distribution (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure Appl. Chem. 87, 1051–1069.
[43]	Wang, Y.H., Liu, R.N., Tian, Y.D., Sun, Z., Huang, Z.H., Wu, X.L., Li, B., 2020. Heteroatoms-doped hierarchical porous carbon derived from chitin for flexible all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitors. Chem. Eng. J. 384, 123263.
[44]	Wood, R., Mašek, O., Erastova, V., 2024. Developing a molecular-level understanding of biochar materials using public characterization data. Cell Rep. Phys. Sci. 5, 102036.
[45]	Yang, C.Z., Lou, Y.W., Zhang, J., Xie, X.H., Xia, B.J., 2023. Preparation and XRD analysis of carbon materials used for Li-ion batteries. In: Materials and Work Mechanisms in Secondary Batteries. Materials and Working Mechanisms of Secondary Batteries. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore, 159–206.
[46]	van Zanten, H.H.E., Mollenhorst, H., Oonincx, D.G.A.B., Bikker, P., Meerburg, B.G., de Boer, I.J.M., 2015. From environmental nuisance to environmental opportunity: housefly larvae convert waste to livestock feed. J. Clean. Prod. 102, 362–369.
[47]	Zheng, S., Zhang, J.W., Deng, H.B., Du, Y.M., Shi, X.W., 2021. Chitin derived nitrogen-doped porous carbons with ultrahigh specific surface area and tailored hierarchical porosity for high performance supercapacitors. J. Bioresour. Bioprod. 6, 142–151.