According to foreign media reports, according to Queen ’s University Belfast, the EU ’s breweries process about 3.4 million tons (3.084 million metric tons) of discarded barley grains each year. However, this situation may change for a long time, because scientists at the university have invented a method to convert these wastes into useful charcoal.
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Under the leadership of Dr. Ahmed Osman, the researchers designed a process that begins with the grains drying out-then the chemical phase and the heat treatment phase. In the latter two stages, the researchers used phosphoric acid and potassium hydroxide to wash-it is worth mentioning that these two chemicals are very low cost.
After the above process, the researchers obtained activated carbon, which can be used for home heating fuel, barbecue briquettes or water filters. In laboratory tests, 1 kg of grain is enough to produce enough charcoal to cover "100 football fields."
This technology can also be used to make carbon nanotubes, and these carbon nanotubes can be used to make better batteries, transistors and even artificial muscles.
The researchers hope that this technology will not only help reduce the amount of waste grain but also promote the local economic development in the area where the brewery is located.
Osman said: "Normally, liquid carbon is shipped from the Middle East to the UK, and solid biochar is shipped from the US and other places to the UK in the form of wooden balls. With this new technology, we can use more local production resources To reduce emissions related to agriculture, we are also creating a high-value product. "
This research paper has now been published in "Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology".
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