Thermal Behavior of Scots Pine ( Pinus Sylvestris ) and Silver Birch ( Betula Pendula ) at 200-230°

Abstract

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and silver birch (Betuln pendula) were heated for 4-8 h in a steam atmosphere at low temperatures (200-230C).The birch feedstock decomposed slightly more extensively (6.4-10.2 and 1 3 5 1 5 . 2 % of the initial DS at 200C and 225"C, respectively) than the pine feedstock (5.7-7.0 and 11.1-15.2%at 205C and 230C.respectively).The results indicated that the differences in mass loss between these feedstocks were due to mainly the fact that carbohydrates (cellulose and hemicelluloses) were more amenable to various degradation reactions than lignin in intact wood.The degradation reactions were also monitored in both cases by determining changes in the elemental composition of the heat-treated products.