Direct analysis of lignin and lignin-like components from softwood kraft pulp by Py-GC/MS techniques

Analytical pyrolysis combined with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to analyse the structure and quantity of aromatic components, mainly guaiacyl and hydroxyphenyl derivatives, directly from chemical pulps. The quantity of aromatic degradation products was determined using a new external calibration method. The external standard was analyzed similarly to the pulp sample, and the combined area of the degradation products formed, normalized to the sample amount, was used for calibration. The method was sensitive enough to detect aromatics from fully bleached softwood pulps at a concentration level of 0.4 wt.%.The effect of bleaching on lignin structures in softwood pulps was studied by following the changes in guaiacyl-type degradation product distribution. The residual lignin structures that had been modified during cooking were removed during the course of bleaching. The residual lignin in fully bleached pulps therefore was found to bear features characteristic of native lignin in addition to increased oxidation. A striking enrichment of hydroxyphenyl-type aromatic pyrolysis products was observed during bleaching. It is suggested that they are derived not only from lignin but also from other pulp components.     

Pyrolysis of lignin extracted from prairie cordgrass,aspen, and Kraft lignin by Py-GC/MS and TGA/FTIR

A study is undertaken to assess the effectiveness of lignin extracted from prairie cordgrass as a pyrolysis feedstock. The effects of variability of lignin source on fast and slow pyrolysis products are also investigated. To accomplish these goals, Py-GC/MS and TGA/FTIR are employed in the pyrolysis of three types of lignin: prairie cordgrass (PCG) lignin extracted from prairie cordgrass, aspen lignin extracted from aspen trees (hardwood), and synthetic Kraft lignin. Fast pyrolysis results from Py-GC/MS show that for PCG lignin, only ten of the detected compounds have relative peak area percentiles that exceed 2% and make up over 52% of the total area. For aspen lignin, excluding butanol that is used in the extraction process, only eight compounds are found to have relative peak areas exceeding 2% that make up over 52% of the total area. For Kraft lignin, only eight compounds exceeding 2% are found to make up more than 45% of the total area. Both techniques, Py-GC/MS and TGA/FTIR, indicate that PCG lignin releases more alkyls than aspen and Kraft lignin. TGA/FTIR results indicate that PCG lignin also releases by far the most light volatile products (<200 °C) while producing the least amount of char among the three types of lignin studied. These characteristics make PCG lignin a good choice in producing good quality bio-oil and thus decreasing upgrade requirements. Py-GC/MS results conclude that aspen lignin produces significantly more pyrolytic products than PCG lignin. This is indicative of the potential of aspen lignin to result in higher conversion rates of bio-oil than the other two lignins.     

Mechanism of Xylan Pyrolysis by Py-GC/MS

In order to investigate the decomposition behavior of hemicellulose, xylan was chosen as the representative of hemicellulose to study the fast pyrolysis on the combination system of analytical pyrolyzer and gas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrometer(Py-GC/MS). The main condensable products of xylan pyrolysis consisted of acids, aldehydes, and ketones; while gas products contained CO₂, CO, CH₄ and H₂. Acetic acid and furfural were the most abundant products with the highest contents of 20.11% and 20.24% respectively. While furfural and acetic acid were formed competitively with residence time and temperature increases, the distribution of xylan pyrolysis products did not vary with the residence time and temperature, while the total content of several kinds of products changed a lot. According to the analysis of experimental data, a reaction pathway of xylan decomposition was deduced so as to illustrate the formation mechanism of main products.     

Discrimination of Thermoplastic Polyesters by MALDI-TOF MS and Py-GC/MS

The aim of this work is to discriminate thermoplastic polyester-polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), which cannot be easily identified by many methods. Both matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) were applied to identify these polyesters owing to their analytical ability to determining polymers' chemical structure. The three thermoplastic polyesters can be easily distinguished by MALDI-TOF MS according to their different repeated units. Py-GC/MS was used to analyze their specific pyrolyzates. The three polyesters can be identified through their characteristic pyrolysis products as well.     

Determination of nonylphenol and nonylphenol ethoxylates in pulp samples by Py-GC/MS

We have developed a method for ascertaining the presence of nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) in pulp samples at very low levels. The method entails pre-concentration of the compounds and their detection by Py-GC/MS. Solvent extraction of the compounds from pulps with acetone gives better recoveries than desorption of the compounds from the pulps by gas stripping. The detection limit for NPEs with our technique is as low as 0.003 ppm in pulp sheets.     

FTIR及Py-GC/MS定性分析高聚物单体

红外光谱反应出的是特征化学基团的振动 ,对于高聚物的具体单体组成分析 ,只能借助于紫外光谱、核磁共振及质谱进行综合判断才能得到圆满的鉴定结果[1,2 ] 。本工作针对在红外光谱仪不能分辨的情况下通过气相色谱 质谱联用技术进行综合分析鉴定 ,结果可为其它高聚物分析研究提供实验依据。1　实验1 1　仪器及试验条件未知高聚物试样为白色颗粒状 (晨光化工二厂 )。ＳＹＳＴＥＭ2 0 0 0ＦＴＩＲ ,ＰＥ公司造ＩＲ谱仪 ;ＣＤＳ2 0 0 0铂金丝裂解器 ,裂解室温度 2 5 0℃ ,裂解温度 6 0 0℃ ,升温速率 1 40℃ ｍｓ;ＨＰ6 890型 ,Ｃｏｍｐｏｎｄ…     

利用Py-GC/MS研究温度和时间对生物质热解的影响

以稻壳为原料,采用Py-GC/MS装置对其在不同热解条件下进行快速热解,并对热解气进行在线检测分析,考察了热解温度和时间对生物质热解性质的影响.结果表明,低于450 ℃,随着温度的升高,生物质热解产物种类及其产率均增加,但低温条件下产物种类较少,有利于产物的分离提纯;高于450 ℃,生物质热解产物种类基本稳定,仅在产率上有所变化,当550 ℃时,收率最大.随着热解温度的升高,其对应的最佳热解时间缩短,且生物质低温热解时间延长时热解比高温解热时间缩短时热解更充分.     

RDF pyrolysis by TG-FTIR and Py-GC/MS and combustion in a double furnaces reactor

With the increasing depletion of fossil energy, the refuse-derived fuel (RDF) as an unavoidable by-product of human activities has been used as an alternative fuel in the precalciner cement kilns. Since the RDF combustion also brings the problems of NOx pollution, it is quite important to find ways to lower the NOx emission during RDF combustion in the precalciner. The pyrolysis characteristics and products of RDF were studied by TG-FTIR and Py-GC/MS. From TG-FITR and Py-GC/MS tests, various carboxylic acids and alkenes formed with NOx released at the RDF pyrolysis process at 200–550 °C. By simulating the temperature (700 °C, 800 °C and 900 °C) and O₂ (12%, 14%, 16%, 18% and 21%) environment of the precalciner using a double furnaces reactor, the combustion processes and NOx formation characteristics of RDF combustion were studied. The results showed that the volatile-N was the dominant reactant source of fuel NOx during RDF combustion. The fuel-N conversion and NOx emission yield showed a continuous decreasing trend with temperature increasing from 700 to 900 °C. The fuel-N conversion and NOx emission yield showed a slight increasing trend with the oxygen concentration increase, and the optimum oxygen concentration for RDF combustion was 14%. In this study, the optimum temperature was 900 °C and oxygen concentration was 14% for de-NOx in the precalciner.

     

Effect of pretreatment on pyrolysis products of Pennisetum purpureum Schum. by Py-GC/MS

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) is one such resource with a great amount of carbohydrate and lignin polymers that together represent high...     

Study on the thermal degradation of high performance fibers by TG/FTIR and Py-GC/MS

The thermal degradation behaviors of Kevlar 49, Kevlar 129 (Poly(p-phenylene terephthamide), Nomex (polyisophthaloyl metaphenylene diamine), and PBO(poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole)) fibers were measured by TG/FTIR and Py-GC/MS. The characteristic temperatures of the fibers in air were obtained by TG. It indicated that the initial degradation temperature of the PBO is the highest. The initial degradation temperature of Nomex fiber is the lowest, but the end decomposition temperature of Nomex is the highest. The gases released by the pyrolysis in air were mainly CO₂, CO, H₂O, NO, and HCN, also containing a small amount of NH₃, and the absorption peaks of CO₂ were the strongest. The results of Py-GC/MS showed that CO₂ and benzene were the most pyrolysis fragment. With the change of pyrolysis temperature, the chromatogram and mass spectra results take a large variety. The pyrolysates can help us to study the pyrolysis process of high performance fibers.     

Catalytic pyrolysis of waste wood chip over mesoporous materials using Py-GC/MS

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy (Py-GC/MS) was used to investigate the catalytic pyrolysis of waste wood chip. Two different mesoporous...     

Accelerated and Natural Aging of Cellulose-Based Paper: Py-GC/MS Method

Samples of papers artificially (2 to 60 days) and naturally (10, 45, and 56 years) aged were studied by the Py-GC/MS method to identify decomposition products. Possible reaction scenarios for cellulose degradation were developed. One of the degradation products is acetic acid, which can (auto)catalyze the cleavage of cellulose β(1→4)-glycosidic bonds of cellulose polymer chains. However, during 20 s of Py-GC/MS analysis, temperatures of up to 300 °C did not significantly increase or modify the formation of decomposition products of paper components. At 300 °C, the amount of several cellulose decomposition products increased regularly depending on the number of days of artificial aging and natural aging, demonstrated mainly by the generation of 2-furancarboxaldehyde, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and levoglucosan and its consecutive dehydration products. No correlation between the amount of lignin decomposition products and the time of aging was found when the pyrolysis was performed at 300 °C and 500 °C. Compounds present in the products of decomposition at 500 °C bear the imprint of the chemical composition of the sampled paper. Pyrograms taken at 300 °C using the Py-GC/MS method can give additional information on the changes in the chemical structure of paper during natural or artificial aging, mainly about the cleavage of β(1→4)-glycosidic bonds during aging.     

Research on pyrolysis of PCB waste with TG-FTIR and Py-GC/MS

The purpose of this study is to determine the pyrolysis characteristics and gas product properties of printed circuit board (PCB) waste. For this purpose, a combination of Thermogravimetry-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrum (TG-FTIR) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) techniques is employed. In the TG-FTIR experiment, a heating rate of 10?°C min^?1 and a terminal pyrolysis temperature of 600?°C are applied. The thermal decomposition temperature, weight losses, and the temperature trend of evolving gaseous products of PCB waste are investigated. Py-GC/MS is used for the qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of the higher-molecular-weight volatile decomposition products. Associated with the analysis results of TG-FTIR and Py-GC/MS for the volatile products, PCB waste degradation could be subdivided into three stages. The main products in the first stage (<293?°C) are H₂O, CH₄, HBr, CO₂ and CH₃COCH₃. High-molecular-weight organic species, including bromophenols, bisphenol A, p-isopropenyl phenol, phenol, etc., mainly evolve in the second stage. In the last stage, at temperature above 400?°C, carbonization and char formation occur. This fundamental study provides a basic insight of PCB waste pyrolysis.     

Study of the thermal decomposition of flame-retarded unsaturated polyester resins by thermogravimetric analysis and Py-GC/MS

The thermal degradation behaviours of flame-retarded unsaturated polyester resin formulations containing ammonium polyphosphate (APP), Cloisite 25A nanoclay and zinc based smoke suppressants have been studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) combined with infrared analysis of the evolved gases (EGA) and pyrolysis/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In TGA-EGA experiments, the mass loss as a function of temperature has been correlated with the evolution of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen (O₂) consumption as measured by an oxygen analyser. The effect of APP, Cloisite 25A and the smoke suppressants on the evolution of CO and CO₂ has been examined. The decomposition behaviour of flame-retarded polyester resins under isothermal pyrolytic conditions was investigated and the evolved gaseous products were collected and qualitatively and semi-quantitatively analysed via GC/MS. The addition of APP does not yield many new gaseous products relative to the unmodified polyester resin neither does the presence of zinc borate (ZB) and zinc stannate (ZS) together with APP. Possible chemical interactions are discussed in an attempt to explain the observed results.     

TGA和Py-GC/MS研究不同氛围下烟草的热失重和热裂解行为

应用热重红外联用技术(TG-FTIR)和热裂解气相色谱-质谱联用技术(Py-GC/MS)对卷烟烟丝的热失重和热裂解行为及其裂解产物进行研究.采用热重分析法测定不同气氛下卷烟样品的热失重(TG)、微商热重(DTG)曲线,以及热裂解过程中H2O、CO2、CO、NH3和CH4等气体物质的释放量.结果表明,裂解气氛不同可以显著...     

Analytical pyrolysis studies of corn stalk and its three main components by TG-MS and Py-GC/MS

The pyrolysis behaviors of corn stalk and its three real components (i.e. hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin) have been investigated with the techniques of TG-MS and Py-GC/MS. The thermal behavior and the evolution profiles of major volatile fragments from each sample pyrolysis have been discussed in depth, while paying close attention to the impact and contributions of each component on the raw material pyrolysis. It was found that pyrolysis of the corn stalk was a comprehensive reflection of its three main components both on thermogravimetric characteristics and on products distribution and their formation profiles. Hemicellulose definitely made the greatest contribution to the formation of acids and ketones at around 300 °C. Cellulose was more dedicated to the products of furans and small molecule aldehydes in a short temperature range 320–410 °C. While lignin mainly contributed to produce phenols and heterocyclic compounds over a wider temperature range 240–550 °C. The experimental results obtained in the present work are of interest for further studies on selective fast pyrolysis of biomass into energy and chemicals.     

Composition of non-woody plant lignins and cinnamic acids by Py-GC/MS,Py/TMAH and FT-IR

Lignins from different non-woody plants such as hemp (Cannabis sativa), flax (Linum usitatissimum), jute (Corchorus capsularis), sisal (Agave sisalana) and abaca (Musa textilis), commonly used for manufacturing specialty papers, were analyzed by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) in the absence and in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, after alkaline isolation. Hemp and flax lignins showed a predominance of guaiacyl (1-hydroxy-2-methoxyphenyl) units, while jute, sisal and abaca lignins contained predominantly syringyl (1-hydroxy-2,6-dimethoxyphenyl) units. p-Hydroxycinnamic acids, namely p-coumaric and ferulic acids, were also found in the isolated lignins, linked by alkali-resistant ether bonds, especially in abaca and sisal lignins. The presence of the latter compounds in the isolated lignins, as well as in their respective whole fibers, was shown by pyrolysis in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (Py/TMAH), p-coumaric acid being especially abundant in abaca.     

Analysis of phenylurea herbicides from plants by GC/MS

Seven phenylurea herbicides (chlorbromuron, fluometuron, diuron, linuron, metobromuron, monolinuron, monuron) were isolated from weed plant materials by extraction with acidic aqueous solutions-the aqueous extract preconcentrated and cleaned-up by using a continuous SPE module. Elution with ethyl acetate resulted in >95% recovery of the herbicides from the LiChrolut-EN sorbent column. Separation of the seven herbicides was easily achieved working under fixed gas-chromatographic conditions and, although other peaks were also detected (corresponding to isocyanate degradation products), they showed different retention times and lower intensity than the parent compounds; in addition, as reproducible chromatograms in terms of herbicide-to-isocyanate product peak areas ratio were obtained, no derivatization was required. The analytical figures of merit of the GC/MS method in the selective ion monitoring mode are as follows: limits of detection from 0.5 to 5.0 ng ml(-1); precision (R.S.D.) approximately 7.0%; and preconcentration factor 100 (using 10 ml of sample extract). The proposed GC/MS method offers better resolution and selectivity than the conventional LC-UV method.     

Bioaccumulation study of acrylates in algae (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlorella kessleri</Emphasis>) by Py-GC and Py-GC/MS

Acrylate monomers methylmethacrylate (MMA) and cyclohexylmethacrylate (CHMA) bioaccumulation has been determined in aquatic organism, algae (Chlorella kessleri). Algae were collected in amount of 0.4 mg and directly injected to the pyrolytical cell. In algae bodies accumulated monomers were analysed by pyrolysis gas chromatography (Py-GC) and pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Traces of the accumulated monomers in algae body can be determined after 1-, 2-, 3-weeks of incubation. Maximum content of MMA was determined after 3-week of experiment, contrariwise in the case of CHMA after 2-week exposition. Relationship with pyrolysis temperature has also been studied.