Low temperature pyrolysis offers a feasible option for wood waste management and the recovery of a variety of useful chemicals. The effect of Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) wood preservatives on the yield and composition of various pyrolysis products was investigated in the present research. A novel quantitative 31P NMR methodology has been developed to quantify levoglucosan and levoglucosenone from the pyrolysate of CCA-treated and untreated wood. The CCA treatment on wood had a significant effect on the amount of main carbohydrate derived degradation products of tar. In particular, a higher yield of levoglucosan can be obtained compared to that from untreated wood. Phosphoric acid has proven to be an efficient catalyst to favor levoglucosenone formation. The pyrolysis of CCA-treated wood in the presence of phosphoric acid gave rise to high yields of levoglucosenone, which demonstrated the potential for a new pathway in the rational use of CCA-treated wood waste. Pretreated wood with metal compounds has demonstrated that K2Cr2O7 and CuSO4 salts promote the formation of levoglucosan. The CrO3 treatment was found to favor the formation of levoglucosenone. A kinetic study of the pyrolysis of CCA-treated wood by thermogravimetric analysis has shown that CCA components have a significant influence on the thermal decomposition behavior of CCA-treated wood, which accelerate the weight loss of wood and the oxidation of the char.

<p>Over the years, hydrogen peroxide has been used to improve the brightness of pulp at the end of a bleaching sequence. However, the degree of delignification achieved by a hydrogen peroxide stage is usually modest. That is because in alkaline condition the hydroperoxy anion reacts with chromophores in pulp as a nucleophile that does not oxidize residual lignin to a significant extent. In order to enhance the reactivity of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant, a binuclear manganese complex Mn(IV)2-Me4DTNE was added. As a result, the degree of delignification was significantly improved, while at the same time, the strength properties of the pulp were better preserved compared traditional in hydrogen peroxide delignification. In order to better understand the mechanism of this delignification process, lignin model compound oxidation and kinetics of pulp delignification were studied. In addition, residual lignin was isolated from the pulp before and after delignification and then characterized by GPC, FTIR, and 1H-13C 2D NMR. Shown by the model compound study, hydrogen peroxide is able to oxidize 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanol, E-diphenylethene, and 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-propene to a considerable extent when catalyzed by Mn(IV)2-Me4DTNE, indicating that the reactivity of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant is significantly improved. Indeed, as shown by the kinetic study of pulp delignification, the degree of delignification as well as the rate of delignification were greatly improved when the catalyst was applied. In addition, the catalyzed delignification process benefits from the concerted reaction mechanism that regulates the formation of hydroxyl radicals responsible for the severe damage to the fibers. As a result, the strength properties were well preserved. Shown by the characterization of residual lignin before and after the delignification, residual lignin was oxidized to a good extent which accounts for the significant degree of delignification. The process simulation of this catalyzed delignification process by WinGEMS4.0 showed that this process was profitable if the cost of the catalyst was kept below $330/kg.<P>

<p>The purpose of this research was to study the effect of pretreatment on the extractive content and bleachability of extended delignified kraft pulps. The studies were carried out on both southern hardwood and southern softwood species. It was found that the extractives affected the bleachability of pulps by reaction and blocking mechanisms. For hardwood pulps, the reaction of extractives with bleaching chemicals was more significant. For softwood, the blocking effect of extractives was more pronounced. During the batch extended delignification process, the extractives were accumulated and precipitated on the pulps due to the black liquor recycling. The amount of precipitates was determined by the pretreatment conditions. It was possible to lower the extractive content of both the softwood and hardwood pulps by introducing a gas-off process in the pretreatment stage of a batch extended delignification process. The removal efficiency of extractives was affected by the gas-off process and the extractive distribution. The amount of extractives that was removed by the gas-off process was affected by the pretreatment operational conditions and the volatility of the extractives. The distribution of the extractives in the digester was also affected by the operational conditions. For the softwood, the natural extractives were comparatively volatile. It was possible to perform the gas-off under a high temperature and a high pH of the system. For the hardwood, the natural extractives were not volatile. High temperature and high pH were the ideal gas-off conditions. Apart from the extractive content, the fiber morphology also affected the bleachability of kraft pulps. For the softwood, the earlywood was easier to cook than the latewood. With the same kappa number, the final brightness of the earlywood pulp was at least 2% ISO higher than the latewood pulp because of the thinner fiber wall and faster leaching rate. <P>