High surface area biocarbon monoliths for methane storage

New energy sources that reduce the volume of harmful gases such as SOx and NOx released into the atmosphere are in constant development. Natural gas, primarily made up of methane, is being widely used as one reliable energy source for heating and electricity generation due to its high combustion value. Currently, natural gas accounts for a large portion of electricity generation and chemical feedstock in manufacturing plastics and other commercially important organic chemicals. In the near future, natural gas will be widely used as a fuel for vehicles. Therefore, a practical storage device for its storage and transportation is very beneficial to the deployment of natural gas as an energy source for new technologies. In this tutorial review, biomaterials-based carbon monoliths (CMs), one kind of carbonaceous material, was reviewed as an adsorbent for natural gas (methane) adsorption and storage. The development and research status of high porous carbon monoliths made from different activated biocarbons by using binder or binder less methods, and the applications of methane storage were reviewed. [Display omitted] •Forming a high surface area biocarbon monolith will lead to a higher methane uptake gravimetrically.•Various starting biomaterials were used to form activated biocarbon monoliths with various porosity.•Determining the optimal activation agents leads to high porous carbon monoliths.•Microporosity is crucial for high methane storage whether volumetrically or gravimetrically.