CARBON-BASED PRODUCTS AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME

1 . A method of producing a porous carbon matrix product from a carbonaceous biomass material, comprising:

(a) treating the carbonaceous biomass material with at least one nitrogen-containing compound;

(b) applying a mineral acid to the carbonaceous biomass material while mixing both components for a period of time, thereby leaving the mineral acid impregnated in the carbonaceous biomass material and covalently binding the nitrogen-containing compound to the carbonaceous biomass material; and

(c) converting the mineral acid to its corresponding salt by exposing the acid-impregnated carbonaceous biomass material to ammonia,

wherein the porous carbon matrix product contains nitrogen covalently bound to the porous carbon matrix.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) is performed before step (a).

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the covalently bound nitrogen is from the nitrogen-containing compound and/or the salt.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous biomass material comprises wood, digested, composted, or raw animal manure, lignocellulosic materials, agriculture wastes, agricultural by-products, organic residues, organic by-products, peat moss, bagasse, oil palm refuse, oil palm by-products, straw, municipal solid waste, bedding materials containing manure, food wastes and by-products, nut shells or coconut coir.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the wood comprises wood shavings, wood pulp or wood powder.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nitrogen-containing compound is present in an aqueous solution.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nitrogen-containing compound comprises:

(a) an active or available carbonyl or imine group; and/or

(b) urea.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one nitrogen-containing compound comprises urea at an amount to achieve a specified nutrient profile.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) further comprises applying heat in addition to applying the mineral acid.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mineral acid is sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, and/or a combination thereof.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ammonia is ammonia gas or aqueous ammonia.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises flowing an ammonia gas or aqueous ammonia over or through the acid-impregnated carbonaceous biomass material.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the salt is ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate or ammonium chloride.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(a) prior to the performance of steps (a), (b) and (c), grinding the carbonaceous biomass material to a suitable particle size range; and/or

(b) after step (c), screening, pelletizing or granulating the porous carbon matrix product to a suitable particle size range.

15 . A porous carbon matrix product produced by the method of claim 1 .

16 . A slow-release fertilizer product comprising a porous carbon matrix and at least one nitrogen-containing compound covalently bound to the porous carbon matrix, wherein the porous carbon matrix is impregnated with a mineral acid salt of ammonia.

17 . The slow-release fertilizer product of claim 16 , wherein the at least one nitrogen-containing compound comprises:

(a) an active or available carbonyl or imine group; and/or

(b) urea.

18 . The slow-release fertilizer product of claim 16 , wherein the mineral acid is sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, and/or a combination thereof.

19 . The slow-release fertilizer product of claim 16 , wherein the at least one nitrogen-containing compound is released from the fertilizer due to microbial activity over the course of a growing season.

20 . The porous carbon matrix product of claim 15 , wherein the porous carbon matrix product reduces ammonia volatilization.