Thermogravimetric analysis of slow pyrolysis in chicken skin waste

ABSTRACT

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal gravimetric (DTG) were used to study the efficiency of slow pyrolysis of chicken skin waste (CSW) through determining the apparent activation energy. CSW was heated from 50°C to 900°C at 5°C/min, 10°C/min, 15°C/min, and 20°C/min. The CSW was further investigated in pyrolysis using a fixed bed reactor where the maximum production of bio-oil was achieved at 550°C. The crude bio-oil products demonstrated different classes of organic and complex mixture of hydrocarbons compound. The proposed decomposition pathway suggested that most CSW was cracked around 340–440°C even at a low heating rate to produce mostly long-chain hydrocarbons.

KEYWORDS:

• Thermal decomposition
• TGA/DTG analysis
• chicken skin waste
• activation energy
• slow pyrolysis

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Postgraduate Research Grant of University Malaya, PG131-2014B and Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia, FP034-2013A for the technical and financial supports.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia under Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) (FP034-2013A);University of Malaya under Postgraduate Research Grant (PG131-2014B).

Notes on contributors

Nur Faradila Anuar

Nur Faradila Anuar is a Master Degree Candidate (Chemistry) from University Malaya, Malaysia with chemical engineering background from University of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . Her major interest is more focusing on renewable energy in global scope. Her enthusiasm is to promote healthy and safety environment towards a better green nation, dedicated to exemplary green energy outcome following the global standard procedures with the latest guidelines.

Azman Ma’Amor

Azman Ma’amor received his PhD degree in Chemistry from Queen’s University of Belfast, United Kingdom in. He has been working as chemist in both private and public sector for more than 5 years before joining University Malaya as a senior lecture in Chemistry Department. His major research interests are fine particle aggregation, photocatalysis, nanoparticle synthesis with the applications in areas of clean energy technologies and biotechnology.

Habibun Nabi Muhammad Ekramul Mahmud

Habibun Nabi Muhammad Ekramul Mahmud, Ph.D. has received his PhD from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in 2006. His research interests include synthesis and characterization of conducting polymers for its various applications and also catalytic conversion of biomass to energy. He is now working as an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia. Apart from teaching and research, he has the working experience in the laboratory of a multi-national urea fertilizer company in Bangladesh for more than 2 years.

Fatimah Zahara Abdullah

Fatimah Zahara Abdullah is a research officer in Nanotechnology and Catalysis Research Center (NANOCAT), University of Malaya (UM). She began her career as research officer in Nanocat, UM in 2010. Her research interests are catalyst and catalytic reaction, surfactant and hydrothermal biomass processing.

Rusmi Alias

Rusmi Alias received his PhD degree in Chemical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi MARA,Malaysia. He is a senior lecturer in Chemical Engineering Faculty, Universiti Teknologi MARA . His major research interests are in catalyst, biomass, composite material with the applications in areas of green technologies and sustainable development.

Mohibah Musa

Mohibah Musa received his Master degree in Science (Chemistry) from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in 2008. He is currently a senior research officer in Chemical Engineering Faculty, Univrsiti Teknologi MARA. His major research interests are fine Environmental Management, photocatalysis, nanoparticle synthesis with the applications in areas of clean energy technologies and biotechnology.

Ernee Noryana Muhamad

Ernee Noryana Muhamad is a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, UPM. She is also one of the principal researchers at the Centre of Excellence for Catalysis Science and Technology (PutraCAT). Her research interest is primarily focused on catalysis and fuel cell. Currently, she is working in the development of modified platinum and non-platinum electrocatalysts for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC).