Co-pyrolysis behavior and kinetic analysis of golden apple biomass and waste Rontgen ray film opus for environmentally progressed sustainable energy

Abstract

A great deal of interest has been shown in using non-edible biomass to generate sustainable energy from agricultural waste. This study examined waste Rontgen ray film (WRF) and silane-treated golden apple kernel (GAK) as possible co-feedstock materials for co-pyrolysis, which produces bioenergy, in a biorefinery setting. Kinetic behavior and thermodynamic characteristics of the GAK with WRF blend were assessed using non-isothermal thermogravimetric tests at heating rates (HT) of 5, 10, 15, and 20°C/min. Three iso-conversional models, such as Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), Starink (SI), and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) were used to calculate the activation energy (E_a), enthalpy (ΔH), entropy (ΔS), and Gibbs free energy (ΔG) of the co-pyrolysis process. The KAS, SI, and FWO models estimated average activation energies of 181.59, 189.61, and 179.77 kJ/mol, correspondingly, with corresponding coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.92, 0.92, and 0.91. The average thermodynamic parameters were ΔH = 146.51 kJ/mol, ΔS = 21.66 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, and ΔG = 119.54 kJ/mol. The co-pyrolysis process is not spontaneous in the conditions under study, according to these kinetic and thermodynamic parameters. All things considered, the results show that the GAK: WRF blend has advantageous thermal and energy properties, underscoring its potential as a sustainable waste-to-energy alternative biomass fuel.