Thermogravimetry analysis of eucalyptus wood, performed under
oxidative atmosphere, highlights significant differences based on
different species and geographical origins. The highest degradation
rate can become two times greater for Eucalyptus globulus than
for Eucalyptus grandis. Extractives volatilization occurs in a broad
temperature interval, which superposes hemicellulose and cellulose
volatilizations. Thermal degradation (pyrolysis and combustion)
of eucalyptus wood can be fitted using simplified models based on
five pseudo-components: hemicellulose, crystalline and amorphous
celluloses, lignin and extractives. From this simulation it is possible
to calculate an approximate composition of wood.

Authors’ references:
1. Chemical Engineering Department, Campus El Carmen, Huelva University, 21071 Huelva, Spain
2. Chemical Engineering Department. Alicante University, P.O.Box 99, 03080 Alicante, Spain
Corresponding author: Agustín G. Barneto – Tel.: +34 959 219982; fax: +34 959 219983 - E-mail: agustin.garcia@diq.uhu.es