Catalytic conversion of carbonaceous feedstock material into a biochar product

A method of converting a carbonaceous feedstock material into a solid carbon product, the method comprising:

• receiving an amount of a carbonaceous feedstock material;
• applying an amount of a liquid catalyst solution to the carbonaceous feedstock material, the liquid catalyst solution comprising a transition metal salt and water, the transition metal salt selected from the group consisting of Fe(NO3)3, Fe(NO3)2 and FeCl3;
• soaking the feedstock material in the liquid catalyst solution for a period of time allowing the feedstock material to absorb iron ions into the feedstock material, wherein the mass of transition metal in the liquid catalyst solution is less than a mass of the feedstock material;
• heating the carbonaceous feedstock material and the applied liquid catalyst solution in an anaerobic environment to a temperature of at least 300 C;
• and
• generating a graphitic biochar material, wherein the graphitic biochar material comprises an amount of added iron (Fe) from the transition metal salt;
• applying an amount of acid to the graphitic biochar material;
• and
• recovering an amount of the catalyst from the graphitic biochar material, wherein the catalyst FeCl3 is recovered where the applied amount of acid is hydrochloric acid, and wherein the catalyst Fe(NO3)3 and/or Fe(NO3)2 is recovered where the applied acid is nitric acid.