The pyrolysis reactions of wood were studied by means of TGA and infrared spectroscopy. Series of spectra of wood recorded at various stages of pyrolysis indicated that mixtures of aliphatic material predominated upto about 400 ℃, but aromatic mixtures dominated above 400 ℃. Polymeric carbon network stuctures were continued to grow as the pyrolyzing temperature was further increased.
In order to investigate the catalytic effects of K₂CO₃ on the pyrolysis reaction, 5 wt% of K₂CO₃ was impregnated to the pure wood sample at room temperature. Some absorption bands of K₂CO₃-impregnated wood appeared at the same frequencies as those of KHCO₃, which were resulted from the participation of C-O-K bonds as well as C-O-H bonds. The samples pyrolyzed between 200-300 ℃ produced free-KOH by the hydrolysis of K₂CO₃ with water generated during the pyrolysis. Above 700 ℃, the metallic potassium produced by the reaction of K₂CO₃ and carbon was evolved prominently.