Microwave‑assisted pyrolysis: A review of tailored carbon materials and scale‑up challenges

Wong, Pin Shern and Chong, William Woei Fong and Tan, Jian Ping and Nur Aisya Affrina Mohamed Ariffin and Foo, Chuan Yi and Rubia Idris and Woon, Kok Sin and Wong, Keng Yinn and Tee, Wei Hown and Mong, Guo Ren (2025) Microwave‑assisted pyrolysis: A review of tailored carbon materials and scale‑up challenges. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 192. pp. 1-26. ISSN 0165-2370

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Abstract

Microwave-assisted pyrolysis (MAP) has emerged as a transformative method to synthesize high-value carbon materials from diverse waste feedstocks, offering rapid heating rates (up to 330 °C/s) and potentially reducing the process’s activation energy. This review systematically evaluates MAP-derived solid carbon products such as biochar, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon dots, and carbon onions (CNOs), highlighting their tailored properties for advanced applications. Key innovations include biochar with a BET surface area of 419 m²/g for NH₃ adsorption (66.6 % removal efficiency), activated carbon supercapacitors achieving 48.2 Wh/kg energy density, and nitrogen-doped CNTs with oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance comparable to commercial Pt/C catalysts. Despite these advances, technical challenges such as non-uniform temperature distribution, material compatibility in scaled reactors, and energy efficiency trade-offs continue to hinder industrial adoption. This work identifies pathways to optimize microwave parameters such as frequency modulation, and proposes recommendations for temperature measurement techniques. Notably, this article outlines potential practical strategies that offer a path to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale insights and the demands of industrial-scale implementation, positioning MAP as a sustainable platform for carbon material synthesis.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis, MAP, Carbon Nanomaterials, Biochar, Multifunctional Carbon Materials, Temperature Measurement, Scale-Up
Subjects:	Q Science > QD Chemistry > QD1-999 Chemistry > QD146-197 Inorganic chemistry T Technology > TP Chemical technology > TP1-1185 Chemical technology > TP155-156 Chemical engineering
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Science and Natural Resources
Depositing User:	SITI AZIZAH BINTI IDRIS -
Date Deposited:	15 Jul 2025 12:34
Last Modified:	15 Jul 2025 12:34
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/44455

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