The pyrolysis characteristics of moso bamboo

In the research, thermogravimetry (TG), a combination of thermogravimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (TG–FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate pyrolysis characteristics of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens). The Flynn–Wall–Ozawa and Coats–Redfern (modified) methods were used to determine the apparent activation energy (E_a). The TG curve indicated that the pyrolysis process of moso bamboo included three steps and the main pyrolysis occurred in the second steps with temperature range from 450 K to 650 K and over 68.69% mass was degraded. TG–FTIR analysis showed that the main pyrolysis products included absorbed water (H₂O), methane gas (CH₄), carbon dioxide (CO₂), acids and aldehydes, ammonia gas (NH₃), etc. XRD analysis expressed that the index and width crystallinity of moso bamboo gradually increased from 273 K to 538 K and cellulose gradually degraded from amorphous region to crystalline region. The E_a values of moso bamboo increased with conversion rate increase from 10 to 70. The E_a values were, respectively 153.37–198.55 kJ/mol and 152.14–197.87 kJ/mol based on Flynn–Wall–Ozawa and Coats–Redfern (modified) methods. The information was very helpful and significant to design manufacturing process of bio-energy, made from moso bamboo, using gasification or pyrolysis methods.