Pyrolysis Products from Cellulose Treated with Flame Retardants

Abstract

Study of the effect of treatment of cellulose with a flame retardant required knowledge of the behavior of cellulose alone under the conditions of the experiment. Compounds obtained included carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, methane, ethane, ethene, propane, propene, butene, acetaldehyde, furan, 2-methylfuran, methyl ethyl ketone, 2,5-dimethylfuran, 2,3-butanedione, methyl isopropenyl ketone (?), toluene, acetol, acetone, acetic acid, furfural, formic acid, 5-methyl-2-furfural, 2-acetyl furan, furfuryl alcohol, and a few other unidentified compounds obtained in small amounts. The typical effective flame retardant decreases the number of materials and the total amount of volatiles, but the specific effects upon the compounds-evolved differ substantially. These data reflect the volatile production step and are made available for use with existing data for improved interpretation of flame retardance and retardants.