Biochar Composite Materials
Automated sequestration
If you thought biochar was just for soil, think again!! You may have heard the term Biochar Mineral Complexes (BMC) but have you heard about Biochar Composite Materials? (BCM). In past conferences we have touched on linking biochar to automated technology such as 3D Printing and thanks to our previous sponsor Byron Eco Park, Tyagarah we were able to introduce Dr Behrokh Khoshnevis from Contour Crafting to an Australian audience in 2014. You can view an old TED talk on his patented and disruptive technology here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdbJP8Gxqog
However, as cement is one of the most carbon intensive products there is we envisaged incorporating biochar into the extruders of 3D printers so that we can automate carbon sequestration in our homes and other consumables. Whilst 3D Printing with Biochar Composite Materials is still in it's early phase, to imagine this concept, watch this automated mud brick home being built by Italy's WASP 3D printer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUqyY-jU62c
ANZBC17 is chuffed to welcome New Zealand's John McDonald-Wharry of the University of Waikato to our programme who will present on "Chars in Construction, Composites and Additive Manufacturing: Concepts and Considerations"
John completed a doctoral research project in chemistry and engineering at the University of Waikato which was started in 2010. This project involved developing structural models for char chemistry, researching techniques for the characterisation of biomass chars, and the creation of composite materials from carbonised herbaceous leaf fibres. This research also involved chemical analysis of other carbonaceous materials such as activated carbons, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, carbon fibres and graphites. In 2014, John was able to apply biochar screening and composite formulation know-how from PhD work to create a range of char-based composites from pine biochars produced by Massey University’s New Zealand Biochar Research Centre. John is currently employed on a New Zealand “Additive manufacturing and 3D and/or 4D printing of bio-composites” project involving composite formulation design and material science research.
 
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