Thermal Conversion of Waste Furniture Board Under Pyrolytic Conditions: Kinetic Analysis and Product Characterization

Abstract

The thermal conversion of waste furniture boards (WFB) was performed in a coupled TG-FTIR under an inert atmosphere at different heating rates (10, 20, and 40 degrees C/min). Kinetic analysis was performed on the obtained TG data using model-free methods. The average activation energy (Ea) calculated from three different model-free methods viz Friedman, KAS, and OFW was 175.91 (+/- 3.50), 171.41 (+/- 5.01), and 172.70 (+/- 5.06) kJ/mol, respectively. Distribution of activation energy (DAEM) was performed assuming multiple area normalized Gaussian distributions of pseudo-components. Thermodynamic parameters indicate that the conversion of WFB under pyrolytic conditions is endothermic, but favorable. Artificial neural network model was used to predict thermal degradation. Mean square error (MSE) of 0.3694 and adjusted R2 value of 0.9686 indicate the agreement of experimental and model prediction. WFB pyrolysis produced molecules with -OH and -COOH functional groups, and small gas molecules such as CH4, CO2, and H2O.