Preparation, characterisation and applications of bone char, a food waste-derived sustainable material: A review

The production of increasing quantities of by-products is a key challenge for modern society; their valorisation – turning them into valuable compounds with technological applications – is the way forward, in line with circular economy principles. In this review, the conversion of bones (by-products of the agro-food industry) into bone char is described. Bone char is obtained with a process of pyrolysis, which converts the organic carbon into an inorganic graphitic one. Differently from standard biochar of plant origin, however, bone char also contains calcium phosphates, the main component of bone (often hydroxyapatite). The combination of calcium phosphate and graphitic carbon makes bone char a unique material, with different possible uses. Here bone chars' applications in environmental remediation, sustainable agriculture, catalysis and electrochemistry are discussed; several aspects are considered, including the bones used to prepare bone char, the preparation conditions, how these affect the properties of the materials (i.e. porosity, surface area) and its functional properties. The advantages and limitations of bone chars in comparison to traditional biochar are discussed, highlighting the directions the research should take for bone chars' performances to improve. Moreover, an analysis on the sustainability of bone chars’ preparation and use is also included.