LIQUEFACTION OF SEVERAL BIOMASS WASTES INTO PHENOL IN THE PRESENCE OFVARIOUS ALKALIS AND METALLIC SALTS AS CATALYSTS

In this study, several biomass wastes, e.g., mainly birch (Betula maxi mowicziana Regel) wood meal and so on, were liquefied into phenol by u sing various alkalis (e.g., mainly sodium hydroxide [NaOH] and so on) and various alkaline/acidic salts. The effects of a variety of reactio n parameters on the liquefaction yield (i.e., the amounts of unreacted biomass residue and combined phenol) flow properties of the liquefied biomass, and flexural properties of the liquefied biomass molding mat erials were investigated. The results showed that various alkalis and metallic salts (acidic or basic) were effective catalysts in the lique faction of wood into phenol at an elevated temperature (250 degrees C) in sufficiently low amounts of unreacted biomass residue. These compo unds were not effective catalysts, however, from the standpoint of a s ufficiently high amount of combined phenol. Among the alkalis and acid ic salts, NaOH was found to be the most efficient catalyst in the diss olution of biomass into phenol. The lowest amount of residue and combi ned phenol was obtained for birch wood meal, but the highest amounts o f combined phenol and the lowest unreacted phenol were obtained for bl eached Kraft lignin. Moreover, other biomass, such as aspen wood meal, unbleached TMP, cotton, jute fiber, and kenaf plant, were determined as convenient biomass for liquefaction into phenol by using NaOH as a catalyst. The flow properties of NaOH-catalyzed liquefied wood were,qu ite close to those of commercial novolak resin. Furthermore, NaOH-cata lyzed liquefied wood mixed with HMTA was easily formed into molding ma terials, and the flexural properties of the materials were determined to be lower than those of commercial novolak resin.