Fast Pyrolysis of Cellulose by Infrared Heating

The fast pyrolysis of cellulose produces levoglucosan (LG), but secondary pyrolysis reactions tend to reduce the yield. The present study assessed the fast pyrolysis of cellulose by infrared (IR) heating under nitrogen flow. Because the nitrogen was not efficiently heated, gaseous LG was immediately cooled, resulting in a maximum yield of 52.7% under optimized conditions. Slow nitrogen flow and a high IR power level provided a greater gas yield by raising the temperature of the cellulose, and the formation of CO could be used as an indicator of the gasification of LG. Glycolaldehyde (GA) was the major byproduct, and the GA yield remained relatively constant under all conditions. Accordingly, GA was not a secondary product from the LG but was likely produced from the reducing ends of cellulose and other intermediate carbohydrates. The pyrolysis of cellulose proceeded within a narrow region of carbonized material that absorbed IR radiation more efficiently. The bulk of each cellulose sample could be decomposed in spite of this heterogeneous process by maintaining fast pyrolysis conditions for a sufficient length of time. This technique is a superior approach to LG production compared with other fast pyrolysis methods based on heat conduction.