Effect of temperature on catalytic pyrolysis of Polyalthia Longifolia leaves solid waste and characterization of their products

Abstract

Results on catalytic pyrolysis of scarcely researched waste Polyalthia Longifolia leaves in the temperature range 450 ​°C - 600 ​°C at an interval of 50 ​°C using 10 ​wt % of zeolite Y, hydrogen as a catalyst have been reported. The liquid bio-oil and solid biochar have been thoroughly characterized for their physicochemical and fuel properties in addition to their qualitative analysis using several advanced characterization techniques. The aqueous phase of the liquid product has been separated out and discarded prior to the analysis; i.e., all the properties and characteristics of bio-oil presented herein are of its organic fraction only. The final biochar includes the spent catalyst in it and has not been separated out. In other words, the properties and characteristics of biochar are of the biochar which also includes the spent catalyst. The calorific value of organic fraction of bio-oil is calculated using bomb calorimeter and found that it is increasing with increasing temperature from 22.30 ​MJ/kg to 27.08 ​MJ/kg. The organic fraction of bio-oil is further characterized by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) which shows the presence of actual functional groups in it. 1H NMR spectroscopy of bio-oil has shown the variation in basic structural information over the applied thermo-catalytic effect along with the presence of contributing hydrocarbons. The calorific value of biochar is also calculated and found to increase from 22.59 ​MJ/kg to 24.26 ​MJ/kg with the temperature. The biochar is further characterized using FESEM and XRD for the study of its structural analysis.