Innovative Biochar Characterization Tools: Insights from Spectroscopy and Optical Microscopy

Biochar, a versatile carbon-based material derived from biomass pyrolysis, holds significant promise for climate change mitigation, carbon sequestration, and sustainable material development. Accurate characterization of biochar's properties is critical to unlock its full potential across environmental applications at industrial scale. This work highlights the complementary roles of spectroscopy techniques for biochar characterization, such as Infrared (IR) and micro-Raman spectroscopy and optical microscopy, which have been traditionally employed in the study of organic matter (OM) thermal maturity in sedimentary basins. FT-IR and micro-Raman spectroscopy enable the rapid identification of chemical structures and thermal maturity levels, providing insights into biochar's stability and functional groups. Concurrently, optical microscopy offers detailed morphological analysis and maturity assessment through reflectance measurements, allowing robust comparison among different biochar produced under variable conditions. Integrating these methodologies not only enhances our understanding of biochar's structural and compositional properties but also facilitates to tailor its applications in carbon sequestration though the use of highly sustainable materials.