monoMulti-model kinetic fingerprinting of Arundo donax pyrolysis

Kurzfassung

Escalating global energy demand and the urgent need to mitigate climate change have intensified the search for sustainable second-generation (2G) biomass feedstocks. This study investigates the pyrolysis kinetics of Arundo donax using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and the Distributed Activation Energy Model (DAEM). To enhance characterization accuracy, a revised estimation method accounting for lignin carbonization was applied, identifying corrected mass fractions of 22.1% and 12.7% for two hemicellulose subfractions, 43.6% for cellulose, and 21.5% for lignin. By contrasting Gaussian, Voigt, and Weibull curve-fitting methods to deconvolve multi-component signals, mean activation energies (Ea) were extracted. Results revealed a convergent kinetic profile with Ea values of 150.8 and 156.9 kJ/mol for hemicellulose, 164.0 kJ/mol for cellulose, and 169.8 kJ/mol for lignin. These high-precision kinetic data provide the technical "fingerprint" necessary for optimizing reactor residence times and temperature profiles in the scale-up of thermochemical systems for advanced biofuel production.