Kinetics and Mechanism of Cellulose Pyrolysis

In this paper we report the kinetics and chemistry of cellulose pyrolysis using both a Pyroprobe reactor and a thermogravimetric analyzer mass spectrometer (TGA-MS). We have identified more than 90% of the products from cellulose pyrolysis in a Pyroprobe reactor with a liquid nitrogen trap. The first step in the cellulose pyrolysis is the depolymerization of solid cellulose to form levoglucosan (LGA; 6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2,3,4-triol). LGA can undergo dehydration and isomerization reactions to form other anhydrosugars including levoglucosenone (LGO; 6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-en-4-one), 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-β-d-glucopyranose (DGP) and 1,6-anhydro-β-d-glucofuranose (AGF;…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• NS
  National Science Council
• DA
  Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

  Award: W911NF-09-2-0010