A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF FIRE RETARDANTS ON THE PYROLYSIS OF CELLULOSE AND PINUS-HALEPENSIS PINE-NEEDLES

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and direct inlet mass spectrometry (DI-MS) were used for studying the effects of fire retardants on the pyrolysis of cellulose and Pinus halepensis pine-needles. The compounds (NH4)(2)HPO4 and (NH4)(2)SO4 were used as fire retardants at various concentration levels. DSC showed that the addition of the fire retardants results in a shift to lower pyrolysis temperatures for cellulose and in an increase in the pyrolysis residues for both cellulose and pine-needles. DI-MS was used for monitoring the evolution rate of various pyrolysis products and for the identification of the various pyrolysis phases.