CHACATHY: Transforming Waste into Sustainable Catalysts for Industry

From Waste to Catalysts: the CHACATHY Project and Industrial Circular Economy

Biochars and CO₂: Sustainable Materials for Future Industrial Processes

What if wastewater sludge, grape pomace, or wood residues could become useful materials for producing hydrogen or capturing CO₂? This is the challenge addressed by the CHACATHY project, supported by Carnot MICA, which has demonstrated the potential of organic waste to create bio-based catalysts and innovative adsorbents, meeting both industrial and environmental challenges.

A concrete response to the challenges of the ecological transition

In a context where industries are increasingly committed to circular economy approaches, the CHACATHY project stands out as a concrete solution for transforming low-value waste into functional materials useful for industrial processes.

The idea is to fully exploit biomass, in line with circularity principles, to produce biochars—carbon-rich materials derived from biomass pyrolysis—with properties adapted to high-impact applications such as CO₂ capture, hydrogen production, and air treatment.

Biochars: multifunctional materials derived from waste

Wood, grape pomace, wastewater sludge… several types of biomass were studied by researchers from ICPEES, IS2M, and RITTMO (members of Carnot MICA) within this project. Through pyrolysis followed by steam or CO₂ activation, these residues were transformed into mixed biochars whose properties (surface area, structure, etc.) were carefully characterized.

These biochars were then tested in various industrial applications with very promising results:

• CO₂ capture: a sustainable alternative to activated carbon
• Heterogeneous catalysis: for producing hydrogen from renewable resources

The project also included an assessment of greenhouse gas emissions linked to biochar production, enabling a full life-cycle analysis.

A promising pathway for future industries

The results of the CHACATHY project open up significant opportunities for industry:

• Bio-based catalysts to make processes more sustainable
• Locally produced CO₂ adsorbents from waste streams
• Potential integration into biorefineries with on-site valorization of waste