Influence of ultrasound-assisted extraction on the pyrolysis characteristics and kinetic parameters of eucalyptus

In this study, the influence of ultrasound-assisted extraction on eucalyptus samples with special focus on pyrolysis characteristics and kinetic parameters was explored. Ultrasound and Soxhlet extraction were used to pretreat samples respectively, then samples were assayed by component analysis, TG-FTIR, and kinetic analysis. Ultrasound-assisted extraction did change the physiochemical characteristics of eucalyptus samples, particularly in regards to the quantity of extractives obtained. In TG and DTG curves, ultrasound-extracted samples reflected lower residual weight ratio (17.77%) and higher maximum weight loss rate (−22.92%/min), and were accompanied by a slight shift in the weight loss rate peak to lower temperature (366 °C). The volatiles produced during pyrolysis and the discrepancies of product distribution between experimental and controlled groups were explored based on TG-FTIR spectra. According to kinetic analysis results, ultrasound-treated samples showed higher activation energy at the primary portion of thermal degradation with an average of 206.09 kJ/mol.