Rapid wood and pulp characterisation via thermogravimetric deconvolution

The following datasets, figures, and tables are submitted to support results presented in the dissertation titled <i>“</i>Rapid Component-Specific Characterisation of Woody Biomass via Peak-Focused Thermogravimetric Deconvolution.<i>”</i>In this work, thermogravimetric analysis was performed using a TGA 5500 and an SDT-Q600 (TA Instruments) to generate thermal degradation profiles for eucalyptus wood (HW), pine wood (SW), eucalyptus pulp (HW-P), pine pulp (SW-P), cellulose, xylan (HW-X and SW-X), and lignin (HW-L and SW-L) samples. Lignin samples were synthesised from weak black liquor generated during pulping processes, xylan was extracted from wood samples, and microcrystalline cellulose was isolated from cotton wool. The samples were further characterised using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Scanning Electron Microscopy, as well as proximate and elemental analysis. Additionally, synthetic mixtures prepared from cellulose, xylan, and lignin were analysed using the SDT-Q600 thermogravimetric analyser.The thermal decomposition behaviour was interpreted using the Independent Parallel Reaction (IPR) kinetic model implemented in Python to quantify the relative mass fractions and kinetic parameters of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin within the biomass samples. Sensitivity analyses were conducted by varying the heating rates of the wood samples and by assessing the robustness of the kinetic parameters to changes in initial estimates and parameter values. Full methodological details for all experimental and computational procedures are provided in the dissertation.