This study was conducted for greater clarification of pyrolysis of municipa
l solid waste. The pyrolysis of pure cellulose, polyethylene (PE), polyprop
ylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), and poly(vinylide
ne chloride) (PVdC) was compared with that of mixtures of these compounds b
y thermal analysis. Interaction only between cellulose and PVC or PVdC was
confirmed. The mechanism of pyrolysis of a mixture of cellulose with PVC wa
s also studied. Acceleration of dehydration and production of aldehyde comp
ounds was observed to occur temporarily with the dehydrochlorination of PVC
by thermogravimetry-direct mass spectrometry (TG-MS). FT-IR analysis indic
ated the char of a mixture of cellulose and PVC to have fewer hydroxyl grou
ps and more C=O and C=C bonds compared with the char of pure cellulose. HCl
evolution from chlorinated polymer may thus possibly induce reactions of d
ehydration, scission in intra-ring of glucose unit, cross-linkage and charr
ing rather than the depolymerization of cellulose. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scienc
e Ltd. All rights reserved.