Kinetic assessment of the thermal decomposition of hemp fiber and the impact of pretreatments

Abstract Motivated by green building applications (bio-composite and insulation materials), thermogravimetric kinetic analysis is applied to investigate the thermal degradation of cleaned hemp fibers (F), obtained after water retting mechanical decortication dioecious plant stalks, technical fiber (TF), field monoecious stalks. Celluloses (microcrystalline PH105 cellulose cotton linter cellulose) are used for comparison. F TF dynamic curves well described a four-step scheme. The dominant one concerns pseudo-cellulose decomposition with release 70 54 mass% volatile matter, respectively. corresponding activation energies in range typical values (223 211 KJ mol ?1 ). Fiber pretreatments (water washing, mild torrefaction, mercerization) modify content (release 73–80 matter) properties, as testified higher (229–248 kJ ) process. method also contributes remarkably characteristics cellulose.