In this study, biochar samples acquired as by-product by downdraft gasification at 700 °C from Eucalyptus grandis (BC-EG), Acacia magnium (BC-AM) and Gmelina arborea (BC-GA) were characterized. The morphological characteristics and physicochemical properties of biochar were studied using nitrogen physisorption by the Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) method, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The surface area (SA) of the materials was in the 2.0-50.0 m2/g range, with the biochar obtained from BC-EG showing the highest SA (50.0 m2/g), while the biochar derived from BC-GA showed the lowest SA (2.0 m2/g). In addition, all samples can be classified as mesoporous materials because their pore sizes were between 2 and 50 nm. This indicates that these materials can be used in absorption processes; however, the biochar obtained from BC-AM is expected to be the most suitable for absorption applications. FTIR biochar spectra did not exhibit characteristic peaks for cellulose or hemicellulose in any sample due to decomposition of these compounds at the gasification temperature. Moreover, according to SEM/EDX analyzes, all the samples presented well-defined pore structure and contained minerals as Na, K and Ca, suggesting that the biochar could also be useful for soil amendment applications.

Co₃O₄ particles were supported on a series of activated carbons (G60, CNR, RX3, and RB3). Incipient wetness method was used to prepare these catalysts. The effect of the structural and surface properties of the carbonaceous supports during oxidation of benzyl alcohol was evaluated. The synthetized catalysts were characterized via IR, TEM, TGA/MS, XRD, TPR, AAS, XPS, and N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherm techniques. Co₃O₄/G60 and Co₃O₄/RX3 catalysts have high activity and selectivity on the oxidation reaction reaching conversions above 90% after 6 h, without the presence of promoters. Catalytic performances show that differences in chemistry of support surface play an important role in activity and suggest that the presence of different ratios of species of cobalt and oxygenated groups on surface in Co₃O₄/G60 and Co₃O₄/RX3 catalysts, offered a larger effect synergic between both active phase and support increasing their catalytic activity when compared to the other tested catalysts.

This study investigates the effectiveness of various chemical methods, both ultrasound-assisted and non-assisted, for extracting cellulose from banana pseudostem (BPS) waste, comparing the results with commercial pine and eucalyptus cellulose fibers. Delignification treatments with NaOH (25% and 30%) and H₂O₂ (8%) were evaluated, applied with both conventional and focused sonication. Ultrasound-assisted methods, particularly with NaOH, achieved cellulose percentages as high as 99.5%. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that NaOH treatments significantly increased the cellulose crystallinity index, reaching up to 67.9%, surpassing commercial fibers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that NaOH treatments, especially at 30%, improved fiber morphology and exposure. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that methods using NaOH and focused sonication enhanced the thermal stability of the cellulose. Compared to commercial fibers, some samples obtained with the proposed methods demonstrated higher purity, yield, and thermal stability, highlighting the effectiveness of ultrasound-assisted and NaOH methods.