Relationship between heat of combustion, lignin content and burning weight loss

Abstract

The measurements of effective heat of combustion obtained from the Cone Calorimeter test for several wood composites (different types of plywood and particle board) at horizontal configuration are presented. Comparison of the average effective heat of combustion at different irradiation shows no correlation to gross heat of combustion measured in the oxygen bomb calorimeter. It was also found, that for the materials studied, there is no statistically significant correlation of heat of combustion to lignin content, but on the other hand, there is an evidence of correlation to the burning weight loss of the samples, but further investigation is necessary. Additionally, the effective heat of combustion is shown as a function of time for different external radiant heat-flux level for the chosen materials. Similar profiles have been found for remaining samples. Two different types of such curves can be distinguished. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.