Thermal Decomposition of Bamboo Phyllostachys Edulis Pretreated with Ionic Liquids-Water Mixtures

The ionic liquid (IL)-water mixture pretreated bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) samples were applied in the research of thermal decomposition. [BMIM]Cl (1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride)- water and [BMIM]BF4 (1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate)-water were used in pretreatment process. Compositions of the untreated bamboo and pretreated bamboo were compared. The results of X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) were analyzed to explain the effect of ILs mixture on cellulose crystalline structure. The pretreated cellulose with [BMIM]Cl- water mixture was tend to produce the more gaseous products, which were associated with the decomposition rate. The behavior of more CO and CH4 gaseous products and less tar in the thermal decomposition products could be attributed to ILs-water mixture pretreatment process. The potential and some problems of ILs-water mixture pretreatment method applied in thermal chemical conversion methods were also discussed.