title: Kinetic analyses and pyrolytic behavior of Para grass (Urochloa mutica) for its bioenergy potential.
abstract: The biomass of Urochloa mutica was subjected to thermal degradation analyses to understand its pyrolytic behavior for bioenergy production. Thermal degradation experiments were performed at three different heating rates, 10, 30 and 50°Cmin-1using simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetric analyzer, under an inert environment. The kinetic analyses were performed using isoconversional models of Kissenger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO). The high heating value was calculated as 15.04MJmol-1. The activation energy (E) values were shown to be ranging from 103 through 233 kJmol-1. Pre-exponential factors (A) indicated the reaction to follow first order kinetics. Gibbs free energy (ΔG) was measured to be ranging from 169 to 173kJmol-1and 168 to 172kJmol-1, calculated by KAS and FWO methods, respectively. We have shown that Para grass biomass has considerable bioenergy potential comparable to established bioenergy crops such as switchgrass and miscanthus.
authors.affiliation: Bioenergy Research Centre, Department of Bioinformatics & Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Sajjad
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Bioenergy Research Centre, Department of Bioinformatics & Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan. Electronic address: draamer@gcuf.edu.pk.
authors.forename: Muhammad Aamer
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mehmood
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Al-Balqa'a Applied University, Amman, Jordan.
authors.forename: Omar S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Al Ayed
authors.affiliation: College of Bioengineering, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong 643000, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guangbin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: College of Bioengineering, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong 643000, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Huibo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Institute of Advanced Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Umer
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 1145, Saudi Arabia; UR Physico-Chimie des Materiaux Solides, Chemistry Department, Science College, Tunis El Manar University, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Imededdine
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arbi Nehdi
authors.affiliation: Soil Salinity Research Institute, Pindi Bhattian, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Ghulam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Qadir
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D018533:Biomass; D006361:Heating; D007700:Kinetics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013818:Thermogravimetry
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels
keywords: Bioenergy; Low cost biomass; Pyrolysis; TGA-DSC analyses