Hydrolysis time-controlled pore and defect engineering in nanocellulose-derived biochar for enhanced ethylene glycol sensing

Abstract

This study presents a hydrolysis time-mediated strategy for engineering the pore and defect structure of biochar derived from lavender straw nanocellulose. The biochar obtained at the optimal hydrolysis duration of 3 h (CLN-3) exhibits a developed mesoporous network (46.36 m² g⁻¹) and abundant oxygen vacancies, leading to exceptional ethylene glycol (EG) sensing performance at room temperature: a high response of 17,576.67%, a low detection limit of 0.36 ppm, and stable operation over 40 days. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that calcium doping enhances the adsorption energy of EG from − 0.13674 eV to − 0.39508 eV, facilitating interfacial charge transfer. This work provides a green and controllable route to transform agricultural waste into high-performance sensing materials.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Hydrolysis time / Pore structure / Defect engineering / Nanocellulose-derived biochar / EG sensing

Highlight

•	A controllable hydrolysis method transforms nanocellulose into functional biochar with tuned pores and defects.
•	The best-performing biochar exhibits exceptional sensitivity, a low detection threshold, and stable long-term operation for EG sensing.
•	Hydrolysis time is identified as the key to tailoring biochar properties, enabling the design of high-performance gas sensors.

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Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(52563033)

Natural Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region(2022D01E37)

Key programs of Xinjiang Natural Science Foundation (2023B2045)

Tianshan Talent Project of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region(2024TSYCCX0007)

Tianshan Talent Training Project-Xinjiang Science and Technology Innovation Team Program(2023TSYCTD0012)

Research and Development of Biomanufacturing Technologies for the Lavender Industry(2024104140004)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s)