Regular paper Catalytic effects of ferric chloride and sodium hydroxide on supercritical liquefaction of thistle (Cirsium yildizianum)

Cirsium yildizianum stalks were liquefied in organic solvents under supercritical conditions with and without catalyst in a cylindrical reactor at temperatures of 260, 280 and 300 degrees C. The effects of liquefaction temperature, catalyst type and solvent on product yields were investigated. The liquid products (bio-oils) were extracted with diethyl ether and benzene using an extraction procedure. The liquid yields in supercritical methanol, ethanol and acetone were found to as 45.66%, 49.34% and 60.05% in the non-catalytical runs at 300 degrees C, respectively The highest conversion (liquid + gaseous products) was obtained in acetone with 10% ferric chloride at 300 degrees C in the catalytic runs. The produced liquids at 300 degrees C were analyzed and characterized by elemental, GC-MS and FT-IR. 85,79 and 60 different types of compounds were identified by GC-MS obtained in methanol, ethanol and acetone, respectively. The liquid products were composed of various organics including aromatics, nitrogenated and oxygenated compounds. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.