TG-FTIR analysis of montan wax

Montan wax was extracted by six solvents from brown coal of rich wax, and the TG-FTIR analysis was used to study their pyrolysis in a gas environment of nitrogen, in order to obtain and compare the pyrolysis characteristic of the montan waxes extracted by the six different solvents. Results show that their pyrolysis processes consist of three main consecutive stages almost alike. It is steady stage from 20 to 260 °C, weightless stage from 260 to 460 °C. Over 500 °C, there are few products released. The maximum mass loss rate occurs at about 423 °C. However, their maximum mass loss rates are different, and the order is cyclohexane/tert-butanol, benzene/cyclohexane, benzene, cyclohexane benzene/tert-butanol, tert-butanol. In addition, the final percentage of residues remains distinct and the order is benzene/tert-butanol, cyclohexane/tert-butanol, benzene, tert-butanol, benzene/cyclohexane, cyclohexane. The FTIR three-dimensional spectra of the pyrolysis products indicate that their volatiles were similar which were mostly low-molecular-weight alkanes or olefins or alkynes and also small amount of CO₂.