Thermogravimetric and Mass-Spectrometric Analyses of Japanese Cedar Wood (Cryptomeria japonica) for Basic Study of Gasification

Abstract

Thermal weight change of Japanese cedar wood (Cryptomeria japonica) in helium with steam or steamoxygen was measured and temperature dependences of produced compounds were analyzed by means of a thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric analyzer. Weight loss increased when adding oxygen. It suggested that oxygen accelerated gasification reactions. Decomposition of holocellulose started at around 200 °C, and ended at around 390 °C or 380 °C, at which corresponding curve of the thermal weight change bent. Decomposition of lignin started around 250 °C. Simultaneous decompositions of holocellulose and lignin caused rapid weight loss in temperature range of 250-380 °C or 250-390 °C.