Sustainable energy development goals of an organic waste biorefinery model for agriculture economies

With the expansion of biomass production driven by population growth and increasing demand for clean energy, our society needs to utilise biomass in waste-to-energy (WtE) systems to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). WtE technology is an environmentally friendly method for disposing of biomass products for beneficial purposes worldwide. The awareness of greenhouse gas emissions has led to the development of new technologies for capturing and absorbing carbon dioxide. The demineralisation of biomass through leaching with various reagents, including hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, remains a valuable tool for reducing ash and enhancing the thermal properties of biomass. In this study, the thermal and structural behaviour of demineralised corncob is investigated using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), followed by Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to evaluate the effect of different heating and oxygen/nitrogen flow rates. Raman and XRD results revealed an increase in crystallinity of the demineralised corncob by 35–40 %. FTIR analysis showed a 20–25 % reduction in aliphatic groups and increased aromatic content, indicating enhanced thermal stability. TGA analysis demonstrated that increasing the heating rate (from 20 °C to 40 °C) and the gas flow rate (from 20 mL/min to 40 mL/min) shifts the decomposition curve to the left by 15–20 %, resulting in a faster decomposition rate. The combined findings highlighted the crucial role of process parameters and structural relationships in determining the thermal properties, stability, and usability of demineralised corncob for sustainable energy applications.