Pyrolysis kinetics of invasive coastal plant Spartina anglica using thermogravimetric analysis.

The pyrolysis kinetics of invasive plantSpartina anglicabiomass was investigated via a thermogravimetric (TG) analyzer from 50 to 800°C in an inert argon atmosphere at different heating rates of 5–30°C/min, and the kinetic parameters were deduced by Starink and master-plots methods. The results showed that three stages appeared in the thermal degradation process, and the mean value of activation energy was calculated to be 291.57 kJ/mol by the Starink method. It suggested that the most probable pyrolysis kinetic model wasg(α) = [−ln(1-α)]4deduced by the master-plots method, which meant a random nucleation and nuclei growth mechanism. These results provided fundamental useful information for describing the pyrolysis process, and the subsequent designing and running of a pyrolytic processing system usingS. anglicaas feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]