A team at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has developed a method to convert toxic bio‑tar—a byproduct of heating biomass—into a refined material called bio‑carbon. By tuning temperature, reaction time and additives, researchers promoted chemical transformations that yield a stable carbon product. Bio‑carbon shows promise for pollution cleanup, batteries, chemical manufacturing and as a cleaner solid fuel, while giving biomass plants new revenue opportunities. Challenges remain in scaling and process control, and the team urges simulations and machine learning to refine the method.
Scientists Convert Toxic Bio‑Tar into Valuable “Bio‑Carbon,” Opening a New Frontier for Cleaner Energy
A team at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has developed a method to convert toxic bio‑tar—a byproduct of heating biomass—into a refined material called bio‑carbon. By tuning temperature, reaction time and additives, researchers promoted chemical transformations that yield a stable carbon product. Bio‑carbon shows promise for pollution cleanup, batteries, chemical manufacturing and as a cleaner solid fuel, while giving biomass plants new revenue opportunities. Challenges remain in scaling and process control, and the team urges simulations and machine learning to refine the method.
04:26, 08.11.2025Environment
Researchers turn hazardous bio‑tar into a useful carbon material
Bio‑tar and biochar may sound similar, but they are very different: bio‑tar is a sticky, potentially toxic byproduct of biomass heating, while biochar is a stable carbon product used for soil amendment and other applications. A team at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has developed a method to convert bio‑tar into a refined carbon material they call bio‑carbon, according to reporting in Interesting Engineering.
How the process works
The researchers analyzed the chemical composition of bio‑tar and found that many of the molecular building blocks required to form stable carbon structures were already present. By carefully adjusting reaction temperature, residence time and adding specific catalysts or additives, they promoted polymerization and carbonization reactions that transform the tar into a more stable, high‑value carbon product.
Potential applications
Early results suggest bio‑carbon could be useful across several industries: for pollution remediation (adsorbents), as electrode or support materials in battery and energy storage systems, as feedstock for chemical manufacturing, and potentially as a cleaner solid fuel compared with coal. Converting waste tar into a saleable product could also provide biomass plants with an additional revenue stream and reduce an important drawback of biomass energy.
Challenges and next steps
The team cautions that controlling the complex chemistry at commercial scale is still difficult. Reproducibility, process control and economic scaling remain open challenges. The researchers recommend combining laboratory experiments with process simulations and machine learning to optimize reaction conditions, scale up production, and lower costs.
“Our review … opens the door to producing advanced carbon materials with high economic value,” said senior author Dr. Zonglu Yao.
“Bio‑tar polymerization is not just about waste treatment,” added author Yuxuan Sun. “It represents a new frontier for creating sustainable carbon materials.”
Why it matters
This approach addresses both an environmental liability and an economic opportunity: it turns a hazardous waste—bio‑tar—into a potentially valuable, cleaner carbon product. If the process can be reliably scaled, bio‑carbon could support cleaner energy systems and industrial uses while helping reduce emissions from fossil fuels.
Reporting via Interesting Engineering; study led by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.