Arriola's team successfully presented their research proposal

Mark Joseph Arriola, Rose Francine Cantalejo, Mary Juriene Albert Perona, and Faith Policarpio successfully defended their thesis proposal entitled "Hydrochar Derived from Zinc Chloride-Catalyzed Hydrothermal Co-Carbonization of Sewage Sludge and Coconut Shell (Cocos nucifera)" last January 7, 2023, in partial fulfillment of their Chemical Engineering Methods of Research. 

Here, the researchers will utilize sewage sludge and coconut shells with Zinc Chloride (ZnCl2) as a catalyst to make hydrochar. The hydrochar will be synthesized using hydrothermal co-carbonization with varying parameters (sludge ratio, temperature, and residence time) and evaluated by hydrochar yield, proximate analysis, higher heating value (HHV), and synergistic coefficient. The highest HHV hydrochar will be evaluated by ultimate analysis, FTIR, and TGA. Finally, the highest HHV hydrochar will be compared to a feedstock with the same parameters as the obtained hydrochar but without a catalyst to highlight the impact of ZnCl2. To date, as far as the researchers’ best knowledge, no studies have been conducted regarding the hydrothermal co-carbonization between sewage sludge and coconut shells with ZnCl2 as a catalyst. Ultimately, this research will look at the potential of producing hydrochar fuel using hydrothermal co-carbonization with the ZnCl2 catalyst of SS and coconut shells.

Their research project will be conducted from 2023 to 2024.