Comparison of Pyrolysis Kinetics Between Rigid and Flexible Polyurethanes

Byung-Hee Chun; Xiang Li; Eun Jung Im; Kyong-Hwan Lee; Sung Hyun Kim

Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Vol.13, No.7, 1188-1194, December, 2007

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Comparison of Pyrolysis Kinetics Between Rigid and Flexible Polyurethanes

Byung-Hee Chun, Xiang Li¹, Eun Jung Im², Kyong-Hwan Lee³, and Sung Hyun Kim^†

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Korea
¹School of Energy Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
²Department of Environ. System Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Korea
³Fuel Process Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Daejon 305-343, Korea

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The pyrolysis kinetics of rigid and flexible polyurethane were examined using thermogravimetric analysis. During the experiment, some of the main compounds were detected. Rigid polyurethane produced five types of low molecular weight organic products, and flexible polyurethane produced at least eleven types of low molecular weight organic products. The main decomposition range of rigid polyurethane took place between 200 and 410 ℃, and flexible polyurethane between 150 and 500 ℃. A consecutive kinetic model for the pyrolysis of polyurethanes is proposed. The model was able to simulate the experimental curves with good agreement. Using this kinetic model, the kinetic parameters such as activation energy, frequency factor and reaction order could be determined. The average activation energy of flexible polyurethane was 203.1 KJ/mol, which is almost 1.59 times higher than that of rigid polyurethane, 127.7 KJ/mol.

Keywords:pyrolysis;thermogravimetric analysis;flexible and rigid polyurethane;kinetics

[References]

Boutin M, Lesage J, Ostiguy C, Bertrand MJ, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 70, 505 (2003)
Esperanza MM, Garca AN, Font R, Conesa JA, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 52, 151 (1999)
Bilbao R, Mastral JF, Ceamanos J, Aldea ME, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 37, 69 (1996)
Spirckel M, Regnier N, Mortaigne B, Youssef B, Bunel C, Polym. Degrad. Stabil., 78, 211 (2002)
Lefebvre J, Duquesne S, Mamleev V, Le Bras M, Delobel R, Polym. Adv. Technol., 14, 796 (2003)
Font R, Fullana A, Caballero JA, Candela J, Garcia A, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 58, 63 (2001)
Coats AW, Redfern JP, Nature, 201, 68 (1964)
Duquesne S, Le Bras M, Bourbigot S, Delobel R, Camino G, Eling B, Lindsay C, Roels T, Polym. Degrad. Stabil., 74, 493 (2001)

[Related Articles]

[1] Boutin M, Lesage J, Ostiguy C, Bertrand MJ, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 70, 505 (2003)

[2] Esperanza MM, Garca AN, Font R, Conesa JA, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 52, 151 (1999)

[3] Bilbao R, Mastral JF, Ceamanos J, Aldea ME, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 37, 69 (1996)

[4] Spirckel M, Regnier N, Mortaigne B, Youssef B, Bunel C, Polym. Degrad. Stabil., 78, 211 (2002)

[5] Lefebvre J, Duquesne S, Mamleev V, Le Bras M, Delobel R, Polym. Adv. Technol., 14, 796 (2003)

[6] Font R, Fullana A, Caballero JA, Candela J, Garcia A, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 58, 63 (2001)

[7] Coats AW, Redfern JP, Nature, 201, 68 (1964)

[8] Duquesne S, Le Bras M, Bourbigot S, Delobel R, Camino G, Eling B, Lindsay C, Roels T, Polym. Degrad. Stabil., 74, 493 (2001)