Due to environmentally damaging practice across industry and transportation, there is urgent need for new materials to address related issues. Hydrochar is cheap and renewable, gaining interest in water purification and catalysis. Hydrochars were prepared from glucose and xylose and subjected to ball milling to alter the structure of the material. Analysis with Raman, ATR-FTIR, and DRIFT-FTIR spectroscopies indicated expected shifts towards a more aromatic material with decreased aliphatic chains and oxygen functionalities. Sugar type significantly influenced char structure with more condensed structure from xylose sugars. The functionalization of these materials is unknown and the ability to bind acid groups would determine industrial application viability.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• McKeogh, Brendan James

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-043015-133628

Advisor

• Timko, Michael T.

Year

• 2015

Date created

• 2015-04-30

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Chemical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright