Effect of moisture content on the interaction between lignocellulosic materials and ozone

The kinetics of ozonolysis for a number of plant materials (aspen and pine sawdust, wheat straw, flax chaff, and sunflower husks) is comparatively studied, and the dependences of the rate of ozone absorption on the water content in lignocellulosic samples are obtained. The kinetic curves of water absorption by different plant materials in a saturated water vapor atmosphere at room temperature are constructed, and the equilibrium values of water content are determined. It is shown that straw is characterized by a higher affinity for water than wood. The range of the moisture contents of lignocellulosic materials that ensures the maximum rate of their reaction with ozone is found. No appreciable effect of the nature of plant material on the rate of ozone absorption was detected, since the process is controlled by the diffusion of ozone in the pores of materials.