PYROLYSIS OF CARBOHYDRATE-DERIVED MACROMOLECULES - ITS POTENTIAL IN MONITORING THE CARBOHYDRATE SIGNATURE OF GEOPOLYMERS

Two series of black-coloured macromolecular products were prepared by: (a) acid-catalyzed dehydration of a glucose solution and (b) heating crystalline cellulose. These substances were analyzed by standard chem ical and spectroscopic techniques, which revealed a more or less marke d carbohydrate signature. The analytical pyrolysis showed striking dif ferences between the two series of substances. The carbohydrate origin of the charred celluloses (even after 48 wt.% loss) was evident from the major peaks of anhydrosugars, while the alkylbenzenes and alkylphe nols were found in comparatively low amounts. In contrast, the glucose browning substances showed pyrolysis patterns where aromatic molecule s coexist with lower amounts of furan compounds. The results are inter preted in terms of the possible diagenetic pathways of sedimentary car bohydrate, and of the potential of pyrolysis to reveal the carbohydrat e origin of geomacromolecules. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.