Nitrogen functionality in artificial coals and its fate during pyrolysis

Two kinds of nitrogen-containing artificial coals have been prepared using cellulose and well-defined nitrogen compounds. Nitrogen-containing species in the artificial coals have been investigated by pyrolysis GC-NPD and GC-MS. Nitrogen release during pyrolysis of the artificial coals without and with catalyst has also been studied in a fixed-bed reactor. Pyrolysis results show that HCN rather than NH3 is formed from the decomposition of pyrrolic and pyridinic nitrogen, and iron catalyst is effective on char nitrogen depletion for both pyrrolic and pyridinic nitrogen. However, calcium catalyst is only effective for pyridinic nitrogen.