ABSTRACT
The application of analytical pyrolysis is another method that can provide a powerful approach to polymer, fiber and textile investigations. Pyrolysis is the chemical process where heat energy breaks down large molecules into smaller fragment molecules. Analytical pyrolysis is particularly suited to analysis of polymers, whether they are natural proteins or polysaccharides, or manufactured plastics, adhesives, paints, or fibers. The literature on analytical pyrolysis is voluminous and covers a broad range of areas, including biomass conversion, plant cell walls, microorganisms, wood lignin, characterization of suspended matter in sea water, smoke aerosols, food sciences, tobacco smoke, coffee flavors and forensics. The instruments employed for the pyrolysis step are usually resistance-heated filaments, inductively heated filaments or wires, microfurnaces, or radiative laser heating. Most of these pyrolyzers are small units that can be inserted into a gas chromatograph or mass spectrometry port, or linked with an interface.
