Electron-beam distillation of natural polymers

• Pyrolysis of cellulose, lignin, and chitin upgraded by electron-beam distillation.
• Distillation of cellulose results in furans obtaining.
• Phenols and pyridines are dominant products from lignin and chitin, respectively.

Pyrolysis of cellulose, lignin, and chitin may be upgraded by the use of an electron-beam irradiation. The radiation-thermal destruction mode does more probable production of liquid low-molecular-weight products instead of solid pyrolitic oligomers. Furans, methoxyphenols, and pyridines are dominant products of high-temperature radiolysis of cellulose, lignin, and chitin, respectively. The mechanism of chain destruction of natural polymers is considered.