ABSTRACT
The burning of biomass in a zero or in an oxygen limited environment (pyrolysis) generates a product called biochar. Biochar production has been used for energy production, whereby the biochar itself is seen as a waste product of these techniques. On the other hand, biochar can be used as a soil amendment, whereby the addition of char to soils has a long history, for example in the pedogenesis of high fertile Amazon Dark Earth (ADE), and is, therefore, in the focus of many researchers worldwide. This chapter aims at presenting a comprehensive overview on biochar starting with methods of production, its physical and chemical characterization and the potential applications as soil amendment. Finally, challenges and prospects for future research are provided.
