Interactions of municipal solid waste components during pyrolysis: A TG-FTIR study

• TG curve overlap ratio was applied to evaluate the interaction of co-pyrolysis.
• The interaction of rice/PVC or poplar wood/PVC was notable.
• PVC made the generation of CO2 and CO earlier and slower.
• HCl from PVC participated in the pyrolysis of rice.
• Interaction of PVC and biomass increased char yields during pyrolysis.

The interactions of three municipal solid waste (MSW) components (rice, poplar wood and PVC) during pyrolysis were investigated using the thermogravimetric analyzer coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (TG-FTIR). The results showed that the interaction of rice and poplar wood slightly suppressed the emission of CO2, with the TG curve overlap ratio of 0.9846. On the contrary, the interaction of rice/PVC or poplar wood/PVC was notable. The addition of PVC promoted the generation of CO2 and CO to occur earlier and tend to be a slower process. Between 350 and 500 °C, HCl derived from PVC participated in the pyrolysis of rice and organic chlorides may be generated. Besides, the presence of chlorinated polymers in municipal solid waste may tend to increase char yields during pyrolysis.