Studies of the Product Formation of Biomass Pyrolysis Using Spectroscopic Techniques

1. Studies of the Product Formation of Biomass Pyrolysis Using Spectroscopic Techniques Sam Burt

2. Outline • Current Production of Biofuels • Biomass Fast Pyrolysis • Spectroscopic Techniques • Two-Photon Fluorescence • Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) Spectroscopy • My Contribution • Future Plan

3. Biomass Fast Pyrolysis • Phenols • Guess-and-check

4. Motivation/Objectives • Expense of Upgrading Fuels • Dangers of Phenols • How and when are phenols given off? • How and when do phenols condense? • Could it be possible to remove valuable and/or dangerous compounds before condensation?

5. Two-Photon Fluorescence • Energetic addition of two photons • Very Rare • Requires ultrafast laser, compact sample volume • Low background • Detailed view of sample

6. Phenol • Max peak 254-272 nm • Constant shape with dilution • Beer’s Law • I/Io= 10-εlc • A = εlc

7. Guaiacol • Max peak 233-238 nm • Constant shape with dilution

8. 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol • Max peak at about 242 nm • Secondary peak around 310 nm

10. CARS • Greater resolution than TPF • Guaiacol Raman spectrum • Our technique • Structure of phenol dimer, trimer E1 ? E0

11. Optical Parametric Amplifier (OPA) • Tunes frequency for our benefit • Fundamental wavelength = 798 nm • Doubled frequency 580-735 nm • Perfect for CARS • Phenol – 617 nm • Guaiacol – 634 nm • Acceptable for TPF • Phenol – 580 nm • Guaiacol – 580 nm • 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol – 620 nm

12. Future Timeline • 7/9 • Finish UV/vis • Design and set up hot plate and container below CARS focal point • Collect hybrid CARS data for phenol compounds • 7/16 • Investigate two-photon fluorescence • Record high speed video of particle ejection • 7/23 • Collect and analyze more hybrid CARS data • 7/30 • Finish data analysis and make poster