Infrared spectroscopy analysis on charcoal generated by the pyrolysis of Corymbia citriodora wood

Abstract

Wood pyrolysis has been use for centuries to obtain charcoal. Nonetheless, the study of wood components
altering by the pyrolysis temperature is crucial to determine the charcoal‟s properties. The present research
aims to evaluate by FTIR the chemical altering of wood submitted to various pyrolysis temperatures. Samples
of Corymbia citriodora species were submitted to temperatures of 240 °C, 280 °C, 320 °C and 400 °C in
a fixed bed reactor filled with N2. The FTIR analysis was performed in the wood residues after pyrolysis. The
results showed that cellulose and hemicelluloses presented more susceptibility to thermal degradation than
other wood components. It could be observed chemical altering in the wood residue obtained between 240 °C
and 280 °C. In addition, the wood residue obtained for treatments over 280 °C presented characteristics similar
to vegetal charcoal. There are a continuous change of the wood due to the temperature of the pyrolysis by
the change of bands intensity and by the bands shift. The FTIR analysis allowed the evaluation of the wood‟s
pyrolysis process and its chemical variations with the temperatures applicate.
Keywords: thermal degradation, wood, FTIR.