Physicochemical Characterization and Thermal Behavior of Different Wood Species from the Amazon Biome

Abstract

The Brazilian Amazon is one of the main tropical wood-producing regions in the world, where exploration and industrial processing are among its main economic activities. Wood is characterized as a material consisting mainly of compounds with a high degree of polymerization and molecular weight such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, in addition to other compounds such as ash and extractives. This chemical complexity of wood brings with it a wide possibility of chemical and thermochemical processing aiming at the production of bioproducts and biofuels. In this context, it is essential to know the physicochemical properties and thermal behavior of wood species from the Amazon biome to add value to the product, reducing waste and maximizing the species used. This work presents an investigation into the physicochemical and thermogravimetric characteristics of 21 species of wood from the Amazon, in addition to the determination of the higher heating value (HHV) of each one of them, focusing on the energy use of the biomass under analysis. The samples showed a high lignin content, varying between 26.8% and 33.9%, with a standard deviation of 1.7% and an average of 30.0%. The Trattinnickia sp. had the highest lignin content (33.86 ± 0.13%). The cellulose content varied from 31.3% to 55.9%, with a standard deviation of 7.3% and an average of 41.74%. The Ruizterania albiflora had the highest cellulose content (55.90 ± 1.20%). For the hemicellulose content, the variation ranged from 8.6% to 17.0%, with a standard deviation of 2.6% and an average of 12.38%. The samples that showed the highest HHVs were Ocotea sp. (18.588 ± 0.082 MJ kg−1) followed by Ferreiraa spectabilis (18.052 ± 0.157 MJ kg−1).