Decomposition through pyrolysis process of coconut fiber and rice husk and determination of kinetic parameters according isoconversional methods

Abstract

Pyrolysis process of coconut fiber and rice husk was studied with the purpose of determining the kinetic parameters activation energy (E) and logarithm of pre-exponential factor (log A) in agreement with converted fraction (α). The determination of kinetic parameters was done through software Thermokinetics by NETZSCH, which associated ‘‘Model Free’’ package enabled the determination of these parameters by Friedman and Ozawa–Flynn–Wall isoconversion models and a probable mechanism that describes the thermal decomposition process of these materials. The thermal degradation of coconut fiber and rice husk was carried out in the range of 303–1073 K under nitrogen flow, and the heating rate used was 2.5, 5, 10, 15 and 20 K min−1. The obtained results showed that the most appropriate kinetic model to describe the thermal decomposition of coconut fiber and rice husk was the autocatalytic reactions model in two parallel reactions (F n C n model).