Catalytic effect of metal chlorides on analytical pyrolysis of alkali lignin

• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2015.02.015
• Publication Date: 2015-03-05T06:16:18Z
• Authors: Wen-Liang Wang; Xue-Yong Ren; Lu-Fei Li; Jian-Min Chang; Li-Ping Cai; Jing Geng
• Keywords: 13. Climate action; 0211 other engineering and technologies; 02 engineering and technology; 7. Clean energy

Abstract The effect of KCl, CaCl 2 and FeCl 3 as additives on pyrolysis performance of alkali lignin was examined using thermogravimetric analyzer/Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (TG-FTIR) and pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (PGC/MS). Notable differences of catalytic effects were observed after different metal chlorides were added. The yield of residual carbon and gases with low molecular weight increased remarkably with the addition of KCl. FeCl 3 and CaCl 2 had a promoting influence on the thermal cracking of alkali lignin, resulting in a decrease of the residual carbon formation by 2.7% and 3.5%. All additives played an active role in promoting the content of active phenols obtained from pyrolyzing the alkali lignin. During the catalytic pyrolysis process, the yields of small-molecule gases were in the order of CO 2 > H 2 O > CH 4 > CO, the capability of catalytic thermal cracking of alkali lignin by three metal additives was ranked as such: Fe 3 + > Ca 2 + > K + , and the ability of generating small-molecule gases by the additives was in the order of K + > Fe 3 + > Ca 2 + .