Pyrolysis kinetics and combustion of thin wood by an advanced cone calorimetry test method

Pyrolysis kinetics analysis of extractives, holocellulose, and lignin in the solid redwood over the entire heating regime was possible by specialized cone calorimeter test and new mathematical analysis tools. Added hardware components include: modified sample holder for the thin specimen with tiny thermocouples, the methane ring burner with stainless-steel mesh above cone heater, and the water vapor sensor in heated gas sampling lines. Specialized numerical deconvolutions were applied to the oxygen and water vapor analyzer signals to synchronize with the rapid-responding CO/CO₂ analyzer signals. From this data, the mass flow rates of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen within the wood volatiles as function of time were obtained, which allowed deducing the mass flow rate of significant molecules of wood volatiles that have their origins in the wood constituents of extractives, holocellulose, and lignin. Accurate analytical solution of pyrolysis kinetics of appropriate competitive reactions that continuously conserved carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen mass flow rates was obtained for piecewise exponentially-shaped, spatially uniform temperature within the specimen as implemented conveniently in MS Excel spreadsheet.     

Correlation analysis of cone calorimetry test data assessment of the procedure with tests of different polymers

Correlation algorithms are used to analyse the relationship amongst heat release rate, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide generated in cone calorimetry test of material flammability. These correlation algorithms include Pearson??s correlation, Spearman??s rank correlation and Kendall??s rank correlation. Cone test data of seven materials are analysed. These materials are two kinds of polyvinyl chloride wall panel, glass-reinforced plastics, vinyl panel, polymethyl methacrylate, polyurethane and two types of expanded polystyrene foam. Correlation coefficients are calculated for cone calorimeter results from tests at 50?kW?m^?2 of these materials. The distribution of the coefficients would be used to discriminate the test materials according to the so-called FO-categories which can help to predict the time to flashover.     

Use of temperature change experiments in calorimetry

This paper discusses the applications of temperature change experiments in calorimetry. The activation energy of crystallization which is an important parameter for metallic glasses can be determined for small temperature intervals. In addition the activation energy can be determined as a function of the transformed volume. Since no additional apparatus is required, temperature change experiments are a simple and effective extension to other techniques of studying crystallization.     

Determination of the energies of combustion and enthalpies of formation of nitrobenzenesulfonamides by rotating-bomb combustion calorimetry

The energies of combustion for 2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide (cr), 3-nitrobenzenesulfonamide (cr), and 4-nitrobenzenesulfonamide (cr) were determined using a recently described rotating-bomb combustion calorimeter. The condensed phase molar energies of combustion obtained were ?(3479.2 ± 1.0) kJ · mol^?1 for 2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide (cr), ?(3454.2 ± 1.1) kJ · mol^-1 for 3-nitrobenzenesulfonamide (cr), and ?(3450.1 ± 1.9) kJ · mol^-1 for 4-nitrobenzenesulfonamide (cr). From these combustion energy values, the standard molar enthalpies of formation in the condensed phase were obtained as: ?(341.3 ± 1.3) kJ · mol^?1, ?(366.3 ± 1.3) kJ · mol^?1, and ?(370.4 ± 2.1) kJ · mol^?1, respectively. Polyethene bags were used as an auxiliary material in the combustion experiments. The heat capacities and purities of the compounds were determined using a differential scanning calorimeter.     

Differential scanning calorimetry and fibre analysis

Differential scanning calorimetry is a technique capable of providing much useful information on the physicochemical properties of polymeric fibres. While it is currently used primarily in research, it is ideally suited for the routine analysis and quality control of fibres.     

Investigation of the flammability of different textile fabrics using micro-scale combustion calorimetry

Evaluating and analyzing the performance of flame retardant (FR) textiles are a critical part of research and development of new FR textiles products by the industry. The testing methods currently used in the industry have significant limitations. Most analytical and testing techniques are not able to measure heat release rate (HRR), the single most important parameter in evaluating the fire hazard of materials. It is difficult to measure HRR of textile fabrics using cone calorimetry because textile fabrics are dimensionally thin samples. The recently developed micro-scale combustion calorimetry (MCC) is able to measure the following flammability parameters for textile using milligram sample sizes: heat release capacity, HRR, temperature at peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release and char yield. In this research, we applied MCC to evaluate the flammability of different textile fabrics including cotton, rayon, cellulose acetate, silk, nylon, polyester, polypropylene, acrylic fibers, Nomex and Kevlar. We also studied the cotton fabrics treated with different flame retardants. We found that MCC is able to differentiate small differences in flammability of textile materials treated with flame retardants. We were also be able to calculate the limiting oxygen index (LOI) using the thermal combustion properties of various textile samples measured by the MCC. The calculated LOI data have yielded good agreement with experimental LOI results. Thus, we conclude that MCC is an effective new analytical technique for measuring textile flammability and has great potentials in the research and development of new flame retardants for textiles.     

1,2,4-Triazole as a reference material for combustion calorimetry of N-containing compounds

A micro-bomb combustion calorimeter recently designed for samples of mass  ≈ 80 mg has been improved and tested with m -methoxybenzoic acid in order to verify the chemistry of the combustion process and the accuracy of the energy corrections involved in the analysis of results. From measurements in this calorimeter, the standard massic energy of combustion of 1,2,4-triazole was determined to beΔ_cu^o =  − (19200.3  ±  3.4)J · g ^− 1. Some new measurements with our macro combustion calorimeter confirm an earlier result from this laboratory of  − (19203.1  ±  1.2)J · g ^− 1. Determination of the purity by d.s.c. of 1,2,4-triazole purified some 10 years ago reveals that samples of this compound remained unchanged and suggest that 1,2,4-triazole be used as a possible reference material for organic compounds with a high content of nitrogen. From the experimental results with the micro-bomb combustion calorimeter, the actual and earlier results from macro-bomb combustion calorimetry, and those obtained in other laboratories, the standard massic energy of combustion of 1,2,4-triazole was deduced to beΔ_cu^o =  − (19202.5  ±  1.7)J · g ^− 1.     

Comparison of isothermal and non-isothermal chemiluminescence and differential scanning calorimetry experiments with benzoyl peroxide

Difference in the kinetics of chemiluminescence (CL) and differential scanning calorimetry records for decomposition of originally solid benzoyl peroxide continuing as a melt reaction was outlined. While the main portion of heat measured by DSC is released in the spontaneous decomposition of benzoyl peroxide starting as a homolytic scission of peroxidic bonds, the CL light emission in oxygen comes presumably from the subsequent disproportionation reaction of polyphenyl peroxyl radicals and monitors the induced decomposition of peroxide. Thermogravimetry revealed that oxygen remains partially bound to the products of benzoyl peroxide decomposition.     

Closer relation between thermal analysis and calorimetry

Several DTA experiments followed by calorimetric works are reviewed here to emphasise the importance of complementary role of both techniques. The thermal analysis is advantageous in the sense that it gives quickly the overall view of thermal behaviour of a material under various conditions. Calorimetric work provides accurate heat capacity data which enable to derive thermodynamic functions including the enthalpy and entropy. The latter quantity is especially important in judging whether the material obeys the third law of thermodynamics. However, calorimetric work leads occasionally to an erroneous conclusion if the work is not preceded by thermal analysis performed under various conditions. Sometimes, quality of information obtained by DTA exceeds that obtained by laborious calorimetry.     

Adiabatic calorimetry and thermal analysis on acetaminophen

Molar heat capacities of acetaminophen were precisely measured with a small sample precision automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from 80 to 330 K. A solid-solid transition at 149.96 K was found from the C_p,m-T curve. The polynomial functions of C_p,.m(J K^-1 mol^-1) vs. T were established on the heat capacity measurements by means of the least square fitting method. Thermal decomposition processes of acetaminophen have been studied by thermogravimetry. And the thermal decomposition kinetics parameters, such as activation energy E, pre-exponential factor A and reaction order n, were calculated by TG-DTG techniques with the Freeman-Carroll method, Kissinger method and Ozawa method. Accordingly the thermal decomposition kinetics equation of acetaminophen is expressed as: dα/dt=2.67·10⁷e^-89630/RT(1-α)^0.23. The process of fusion has been investigated through DSC. The melting point, molar enthalpy and entropy of fusion are to be (441.89±0.04) K, 26.49±0.44 kJ mol^-1 and 59.80±1.01 J K^-1 mol^-1, respectively.     

Study of the clay effect on crude oil combustion by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry

Thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to study the effect of sand, silica and kaolinite on crude oil combustion. Three distinct regions, namely distillation and two combustion/cracking regions were observed on all TG curves. Thermogravimetric curves were analyzed using an Arrhenius-type kinetic model and a ratio method to obtain kinetic parameters. Activation energy and reaction order were obtained from this analysis. The reaction order seemed to be insensitive to the presence of granular materials. However, a significant reduction of activation energy was caused by addition of kaolinite to the crude oil, indicating that the kaolinite had a catalytic and surface area effect on crude oil combustion/cracking reactions.     

30 years of research in thermal analysis and calorimetry

The research in thermal analysis and calorimetry, conducted by the author over the period 1964 to 1993, is summarised and concisely reviewed. The major investigations have focussed on thermal analysis studies of coordination compounds, particularly the metal dithiocarbamate complexes. A significant solution calorimetric study of some metal dithiocarbamate complexes has also been undertaken. DSC has been applied to determine the sublimation enthalpies of many metal dithiocarbamate and metal pentane-2,4-dionate complexes and solution calorimetry has been applied to study the thermochemistry of the latter group of complexes. Thermal analysis investigations of several inorganic molten salt systems have been initiated. Thermometric titrimetry has been applied to study metal-macrocyclic ligand systems in aqueous media and particularly those systems of environmental significance. Temperature calibration standards for TMA have been proposed and TMA has been applied to study the mechanical properties of several common inorganic compounds. DTA has been applied to study a wide variety of phenols and has subsequently been applied as an analytical technique to determine the components of solid state phenol mixtures. Thermometric titrimetry has been applied to determine the phenolic content of wines. A comprehensive thermal analysis study of Australian brown coal has been undertaken, involving the DSC determination of coal specific energy, a TG/DTA study of the coal pyrolysis and combustion processes and a TG/DTA and EGA study of the cation catalytic effect on the coal pyrolysis process. Thermal analysis and calorimetric techniques have been extensively publicised and promoted by the publication of specialist reviews, the presentation of symposia review papers and the oral presentation of short courses, particularly in the SE Asian region. This review essentially reveals the diversity of possible application of thermal analysis and calorimetric techniques and the primary significance of thermodynamic data in the fundamental rationalisation of chemical phenomena.     

Measurement of enzyme kinetics using microscale steady-state kinetic analysis

This paper describes a new technique--microscale steady-state kinetic analysis (microSKA)--that enables the rapid and parallel analysis of enzyme kinetics. Rather than physically defining a microscopic reactor through microfabrication, we show how the relative rates of reaction and transport in a macroscopic flow chamber, where the enzyme is immobilized on one wall of the chamber, results in the confinement of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction to a microscopic reactor volume adjacent to this wall. This volume has linear dimensions that are orders of magnitude smaller than the physical dimensions of the system (i.e., micrometer vs millimeter). Conversion within this volume is monitored at steady state as a function of position, rather than time. In this way, limitations due to reactor dead time and mixing are avoided. We use microSKA to determine kinetic parameters for the alkaline phosphatase-catalyzed de-phosphorylation of nonfluorescent methylumbelliferyl phosphate (MUP) to fluorescent 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (HMC) at two different values of pH. Kinetic parameters measured with microSKA are in good agreement with values obtained using conventional methods, if one takes into account effects of immobilization on enzyme activity. This technique provides a rapid and simple method for determining enzyme kinetics using small amounts of sample material and may be useful for applications in proteomics, drug discovery, biocatalyst development, and clinical diagnostics.     

Standard enthalpies of formation of 2-aminobenzothiazoles in the crystalline phase by rotating-bomb combustion calorimetry

The standard molar enthalpies of combustion of 2-aminobenzothiazole (2AB), 2-amino-4-methyl-benzothiazole (2A4MB), and 2-amino-6-methyl-benzothiazole (2A6MB) were determined in the crystalline phase at T = 298.15 K using a rotating-bomb combustion calorimeter. The molar energies of combustion of these compounds were found to be: (−4273.6 ± 0.9), (−4896.9 ± 1.1), and (−4906.9 ± 1.2) kJ · mol⁻¹, respectively. From these values, the corresponding standard molar enthalpies of formation in the solid phase were obtained as: (59.55 ± 1.28), (2.71 ± 1.50), and (13.53 ± 1.53) kJ · mol⁻¹, respectively. The enthalpies of formation in the gas phase were determined using the experimental enthalpies of formation in the solid phase and predicted values of the enthalpies of sublimation. Additionally, the enthalpies of formation in the gas phase were calculated by means of the Gausian-4 theory, using several gas-phase working reactions, and were compared with those found using the predicted enthalpies of sublimation.     

Cardiac muscle protein analysis by high-resolution and microscale two-dimensional gel electrophoresis

An improved method of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of small muscle samples is described. Isoelectric focusing of cardiac whole muscle homogenate in agarose gels containing urea and detergent has a markedly increased resolution. Equilibration of the first-dimensional gels with detergent before application to the second-dimensional gels is unnecessary in this system. By applying this method to rat cardiac whole muscle, high-molecular weight proteins, such as myosin heavy chains, are focused on the first-dimensional gels and, in addition, minor components are resolved on the second-dimensional gels, without loss during equilibration with detergent. The two-dimensional electrophoretic patterns of rat cardiac whole muscle obtained with this method reveal numerous clearly separated spots. By analyzing the two-dimensional electrophoretic patterns of rat cardiac whole muscle and various rat cardiac fractions, and by staining the calcium-binding proteins with "Stains-all", we identified some cardiac muscle components, such as myosin heavy and light chains, actin, tropomyosin, and troponin C, but additional work is required to identify the remaining spots. The two-dimensional electrophoretic system described here makes possible the effective resolution of whole cardiac muscle homogenate from small samples, and looks promising as an aid to muscle research.