This study was aimed at comparing the pyrolysis behavior of several selected biomass samples, namely, pine wood, poplar wood, wheat straw, and sugarcane bagasse, with a particular attention to the effect of lignin. Raw samples were first treated using Soxhlet solvent extraction with a 2:1 (v/v) mixture of toluene/ethanol to remove wax. Lignin was then removed by soaking the dewaxed samples in a 1.0 M sodium chlorite solution at 343 K till the solids became white. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis was applied to characterize the surface functional groups of the samples. The morphology of the samples before and after delignification treatment was analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The pyrolysis behavior of the raw and treated biomass samples was studied using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) operating in nitrogen at a constant heating rate of 10 K min−1 from room temperature to the final temperature 823 K. The FTIR and SEM results indicated that lignin can be successfully removed from the raw biomass via the chemical treatment used. As expected, the pyrolysis behavior differed significantly among the various raw biomass samples. However, the pyrolysis behavior of the delignified samples showed almost identical thermal behavior although the temperature associated with the maximum rate of pyrolysis was shifted to a lower temperature regime by ca. 50 K. This suggests that the presence of lignin significantly affected the biomass pyrolysis behavior. Thus, the pyrolysis behavior of the biomass cannot be predicted simply from the individual components without considering their interactions.
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June 2018
Research-Article
Contrasting the Pyrolysis Behavior of Selected Biomass and the Effect of Lignin
Zhezi Zhang,
Zhezi Zhang
Centre for Energy (M473),
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia
e-mail: Zhezi.Zhang@uwa.edu.au
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia
e-mail: Zhezi.Zhang@uwa.edu.au
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Mingming Zhu,
Mingming Zhu
Centre for Energy (M473),
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia
e-mail: Mingming.Zhu@uwa.edu.au
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia
e-mail: Mingming.Zhu@uwa.edu.au
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Philip Hobson,
Philip Hobson
Sugar Research and Innovation,
Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities,
Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia
e-mail: P.Hobson@qut.edu.au
Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities,
Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia
e-mail: P.Hobson@qut.edu.au
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William Doherty,
William Doherty
Sugar Research and Innovation,
Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities,
Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia
e-mail: W.Doherty@qut.edu.au
Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities,
Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia
e-mail: W.Doherty@qut.edu.au
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Dongke Zhang
Dongke Zhang
Centre for Energy (M473),
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia,
e-mail: Dongke.Zhang@uwa.edu.au
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia,
e-mail: Dongke.Zhang@uwa.edu.au
Search for other works by this author on:
Zhezi Zhang
Centre for Energy (M473),
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia
e-mail: Zhezi.Zhang@uwa.edu.au
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia
e-mail: Zhezi.Zhang@uwa.edu.au
Mingming Zhu
Centre for Energy (M473),
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia
e-mail: Mingming.Zhu@uwa.edu.au
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia
e-mail: Mingming.Zhu@uwa.edu.au
Philip Hobson
Sugar Research and Innovation,
Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities,
Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia
e-mail: P.Hobson@qut.edu.au
Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities,
Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia
e-mail: P.Hobson@qut.edu.au
William Doherty
Sugar Research and Innovation,
Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities,
Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia
e-mail: W.Doherty@qut.edu.au
Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities,
Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia
e-mail: W.Doherty@qut.edu.au
Dongke Zhang
Centre for Energy (M473),
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia,
e-mail: Dongke.Zhang@uwa.edu.au
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway,
Crawley 6009, WA, Australia,
e-mail: Dongke.Zhang@uwa.edu.au
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Advanced Energy Systems Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESOURCES TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received August 4, 2017; final manuscript received December 28, 2017; published online February 27, 2018. Editor: Hameed Metghalchi.
J. Energy Resour. Technol. Jun 2018, 140(6): 062201 (5 pages)
Published Online: February 27, 2018
Article history
Received:
August 4, 2017
Revised:
December 28, 2017
Citation
Zhang, Z., Zhu, M., Hobson, P., Doherty, W., and Zhang, D. (February 27, 2018). "Contrasting the Pyrolysis Behavior of Selected Biomass and the Effect of Lignin." ASME. J. Energy Resour. Technol. June 2018; 140(6): 062201. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4039321
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