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Characteristic Studies on the Pyrolysis Products from Hydrolyzed Canadian Lignocellulosic Feedstocks

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Abstract

Lignocellulosic feedstocks are utilized for the production of fuel ethanol and butanol through dilute acid/enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Hydrolysis residue, a major by-product of biomass hydrolysis, is rich in recalcitrant carbon as majority of cellulosic and hemicellulosic components are released during pretreatment. With the intention of their effective utilization, hydrolysis residues from forestry (pinewood), energy crop system (timothy grass), and agriculture (wheat straw) were pyrolysed in a fixed-bed reactor at 600 °C with slow heating rate of 5 °C/min for 4 h. In order to understand the product (biochar, bio-oil, and gases) properties and advocate their energy and environmental values, chemical characterizations such as carbon–hydrogen–nitrogen–sulfur analysis, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, pH, electrical conductivity, scanning electron microscopy, porosity analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were employed. The yield of biochar, bio-oil and gases was 38.9–41.7, 18.6–22.3, and 24.9–28.8 wt%, respectively. The high pH and electrical conductivity of biochars with substantial amounts of Na, Mg, K, and Ca indicated their alkaline and saline nature, which would necessitate proper agronomical soil applications. Variable intensities of C–C, C–H, C–O, O–H, and C–N functional groups were detected in the FTIR spectra of residues, biochars, and bio-oils. Raman spectroscopy showed the development of graphite (1,580–1,610 cm−1) and defect (1,325–1,380 cm−1) carbon structures in biochars. 1H NMR of bio-oils indicated aromatics, olefinics, and aliphatics, whereas 13C NMR indicated carbonyls, aromatics, carbohydrates, alkyls, methoxy, and hydroxy carbon. GC studies of pyrolysis gases identified chiefly H2 and CO with traces of CH4, CO2, and C2+ components.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Lassonde School of Engineering at York University and Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre at University of Saskatchewan for the research facilities. The funding support from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Canada Research Chair (CRC) program is greatly acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Sonil Nanda & Janusz A. Kozinski

  2. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A9, Canada

    Ramin Azargohar & Ajay K. Dalai

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  1. Sonil Nanda
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  2. Ramin Azargohar
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  4. Ajay K. Dalai
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Correspondence to Ajay K. Dalai.

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Nanda, S., Azargohar, R., Kozinski, J.A. et al. Characteristic Studies on the Pyrolysis Products from Hydrolyzed Canadian Lignocellulosic Feedstocks. Bioenerg. Res. 7, 174–191 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-013-9359-7

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