Wood Waste Derived Carbon Materials and Catalysts: Preparation, Characterization, Applications and Future Perspectives

Wood-processing activities generate considerable quantities of sawdust and other lignocellulosic residues, and their disposal or uncontrolled burning can reduce the value of a potentially useful carbon resource. Conversion of such residues into functional carbon materials provides a route for waste valorization while reducing dependence on fossil-derived carbon precursors. This review discusses the preparation, characterization and application of wood waste derived carbon materials and catalysts, with particular attention to activation, surface functionalization and heteroatom doping, especially nitrogen doping. The relationship between precursor composition, thermal treatment, pore development, surface chemistry and application performance is considered rather than treating preparation and application as independent topics. Wood derived carbons have been investigated as heterogeneous catalysts, catalyst supports, adsorbents, electrochemical electrodes, sensor materials and functional components in energy related devices. Their use in organic synthesis, environmental remediation, supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries, electrocatalysis, sensing and antimicrobial systems demonstrates the broad utility of biomass derived carbon. Teakwood sawdust is discussed separately because published studies have already demonstrated its suitability as a precursor for porous and activated carbon, including materials with high surface area and useful electrochemical properties. However, the literature is more developed for adsorption and energy storage applications than for deliberately designed catalytic materials, particularly N-doped teakwood sawdust derived catalysts. The review therefore identifies the need for better control of pore architecture, surface functional groups, nitrogen speciation, reproducibility, regeneration, scale-up and life-cycle performance. The broader literature suggests that teakwood sawdust can serve as a promising renewable precursor for multifunctional carbon materials, while N-doping offers a practical route for tuning surface chemistry and electronic properties for catalytic and other advanced applications.

Wood waste; Teakwood sawdust; N-doped carbon; Biomass derived carbon; Heterogeneous catalysis

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