Biomass-derived functional materials: Preparation, functionalization, and applications in adsorption and catalytic separation of carbon dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants

Biomass is the only renewable carbon source in the world and possesses a zero-carbon footprint throughout its lifecycle. Biomass-based functional materials typically exhibit excellent structural characteristics, such as high specific surface area, well-developed and tunable pore sizes, and rich surface chemical compositions. These properties have generated significant interest in the fields of adsorption and catalysis. For instance, biochar materials have been extensively commercialized for the purification of wastewater and atmospheric pollutants. While conventional reviews on biomass-derived materials primarily focus on traditional carbon-based materials, it is noteworthy that a large amount of plant-based biomass also possesses high silicon content. Therefore, in addition to carbon-based materials such as activated carbon (AC), graphene, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), this paper also emphasizes biomass-derived silicon-based materials, including mesoporous silica, molecular sieves, and related composites. It systematically summarizes the preparation methods of these biomass-derived materials, the relationship between process parameters and performance, and their research outcomes in the adsorption and catalytic purification of atmospheric pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfides (SO2 and H2S), NH3 and carbon dioxide (CO2). Furthermore, it identifies the current challenges in this field and proposes new directions for future research.