Perspectives of the Formation of Carbon Nanostructures from Biomass Gasification Tar Compounds-A Mini-Review

During the gasification of biomass, tars are produced along with the gases. These compounds can cause operational problems when condensed, decreasing the overall efficiency of the process. Many methods have been explored for the abatement or removal of these compounds, with the most commonly reported being modifications of the gasifier, wet and dry cleaning methods, and thermal or catalytic cracking. Through the cracking of these molecules, more gases are produced, but only a few studies are interested in the char or carbon deposits formed, which, in some cases, can result in carbon nanostructures. For techno-economic and environmental balance of the process, these new carbon structures can bring new possibilities for gasification technologies. Some of the aspects regarding the formation of carbon nanostructures from these kinds of compounds are reviewed in this paper.