Efficient two-staged pyrolysis strategy for sustainable production and segregation of value-added oxygenates from sugarcane bagasse

Staged pyrolysis offers a promising approach for the stepwise conversion of major biomass components. However, optimizing this process for selective conversion remains challenging due to a limited understanding of biomass pyrolysis behavior. Herein, pyrolysis temperature and alkali/alkaline earth metals (AAEMs) are shown to be crucial in governing conversion efficiency and product selectivity, respectively. Building on these insights, a novel two-stage pyrolysis process, combining acid washing of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) with torrefaction at 260-320 degrees C followed by fast pyrolysis at 500 degrees C, is proposed to enhance product selectivity and enable product segregation. The results demonstrate that 4-vinylphenol, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, and xylosan are the dominant products from torrefaction stage, while levoglucosan is primarily produced during fast pyrolysis stage. The optimal conditions for the two-stage pyrolysis process to maximize the yield of oxygenated compounds were determined as a torrefaction temperature of 300 degrees C and a fast pyrolysis temperature of 500 degrees C. This study presents an atom- and energy-efficient strategy for selective production and segregation of value-added oxygenates from sugarcane bagasse.