Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry as a novel method for surface characterization of carbonaceous material formed during thermochemical conversion of cellulose

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was applied for the first time to the surface characterization of carbonaceous material formed during thermochemical conversion of cellulose. Owing to that new information about the composition of solid residue formed in the cellulose pyrolysis was obtained. The use of ToF-SIMS allowed one to demonstrate the differences between the structure of the uppermost layer and subsurface region of the pyrolysed material which were not clear with the use of other analytical methods.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (198 K)Download as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Application of ToF-SIMS to the studies of solid residue of cellulose pyrolysis. ► New information about the composition of the surface of the material formed during thermochemical conversion of cellulose. ► Determination of differences between the structure of the uppermost layer and subsurface region of the pyrolysed material.