FTIR and Thermogravimetric Analysis of Three Kinds of Nutshells

Abstract

The main components and pyrolysis characteristics of Camellia oleifera Abel hells, Castanea mollissima Blume shells, and Castanea mollissima Blume shells were analyzed by using FTIR and thermogravimetric methods. The experimental results indicated that the main components of the three kinds of raw materials consisted of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The highest contents of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin were in Camellia oleifera Abel shells (49.34% ± 0.07%), Castanea mollissima Blume shells (27.34% ± 0.01%), and Carya cathayensis Sarg shells (49.78% ± 0.01%), respectively. The pyrolysis processes of three kinds of shells generally included three stages, namely dehydration, pyrolysis, and carbonization. The peak values and the appearance times of their pyrolysis rates were closely related to their compositions.