Nanocrack Formation in Hematite through the Dehydration of Goethite and the Carbon Infiltration from Biotar

The cracks in nano-order are generated and propagated when the combined water is released during the dehydration. If the nanopore can be utilized for a reaction site, the overall reaction can be extremely accelerated. On the other hand, it is well known that woody biomass is an attractive alternative fuel for the reduction of CO2 emission. However, the process of biomass pyrolysis is disturbed by the tar which causes a clogging in gas tubing system. Hata et al. found that the tar was consumed almost 100% in the iron ore layer having nanocrack or nanopore. The nanocracks formed in hematite crystals after dehydration of goethite were about 4 nm in width, which is in excellent agreement with the result of BET measurement. When the carbon deposited from tar into the nanocracks, reduction reactions were occurred simultaneously. The deposited carbons completely infilled into the nanocracks and the void in the sample.