Issue 1, 2019

Competing reactions limit levoglucosan yield during fast pyrolysis of cellulose

Abstract

Efforts to understand the reaction mechanisms of cellulose pyrolysis have been stymied by short reaction times and difficulties in probing the condensed phase of cellulose intermediate products. Using time-resolved yields of both volatile and non-volatile products of pyrolysis, we demonstrate that cracking reactions generate anhydro-oligosaccharides while subsequent reactions produce levoglucosan from these anhydro-oligosaccharides. Eventually, cracking of anhydro-oligosaccharides is eclipsed by levoglucosan-producing reactions. These reactions compete with other reactions that produce light oxygenates and non-condensable gases. The relative reaction rates in this competition limit levoglucosan yields from cellulose pyrolysis to approximately 60 wt%.

Graphical abstract: Competing reactions limit levoglucosan yield during fast pyrolysis of cellulose

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
05 Nov 2018
Accepted
30 Nov 2018
First published
03 Dec 2018

Green Chem., 2019,21, 178-186

Author version available

Competing reactions limit levoglucosan yield during fast pyrolysis of cellulose

J. K. Lindstrom, J. Proano-Aviles, P. A. Johnston, C. A. Peterson, J. S. Stansell and R. C. Brown, Green Chem., 2019, 21, 178 DOI: 10.1039/C8GC03461C

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