# Catalytic Pyrolysis of Coconut Fiber with MgCl2: Enhancing Thermal Degradation Kinetics and Product Selectivity

## TL;DR

This study explores how MgCl2 affects the pyrolysis of coconut fiber, improving energy production and biochar quality.

## Contribution

The study introduces MgCl2 as a catalyst to enhance pyrolysis efficiency and product selectivity in coconut fiber.

## Key findings

- MgCl2 reduced activation energy, improving devolatilization efficiency during pyrolysis.
- 10% MgCl2 increased biochar yield to 58.65% with higher fixed carbon content and heating values.
- MgCl2 promoted aldehyde formation, while higher temperatures favored phenolic compounds.

## Abstract

Coconut fiber (CCF), a lignocellulosic biomass, presents
significant
potential for renewable energy production through pyrolysis. This
study investigates the catalytic pyrolysis of CCF in a fixed-bed reactor,
focusing on the effects of temperature (623–723 K) and magnesium
chloride (MgCl2) concentration (0–10%) on product
yields and properties. Proximate and elemental analyses were used
to characterize CCF’s composition, while thermogravimetric
analysis (TGA) at heating rates of 20–50 K/min assessed thermal
degradation kinetics using the Reparametrized Global Reaction (RGR)
model. The kinetic analysis confirmed that MgCl2 reduced
activation energy from 56.3 kJ·mol–1 to 29.3
kJ·mol–1, enhancing devolatilization efficiency.
Pyrolysis experiments yielded bio-oil, biochar, and gas in the ranges
of 47.4–52.4%, 29.7–37.2%, and 15.4–17.9%, respectively,
depending on operating conditions. Higher temperatures increased bio-oil
yield, peaking at 52.36% at 723 K without MgCl2, while
10% MgCl2 enhanced biochar production to 58.65% with fixed
carbon contents up to 62.0% and higher heating values ranging from
22.4 to 25.1 MJ·kg–1. Gas chromatography–mass
spectrometry (GC–MS) showed that MgCl2 promoted
aldehyde formation (e.g., furfural) via hemicellulose dehydration,
whereas higher temperatures favored phenolic compounds from lignin
degradation. These findings highlight MgCl2’s role
in tailoring pyrolysis pathways for optimized bio-oil and biochar
production, offering insights into sustainable biomass conversion
for energy and carbon sequestration applications.