Tga 500

The initial feedstock, the solid pyrolysis products, and the commercial reducers were characterized using the following analytical techniques. The proximate analysis was determined by thermogravimetry according to D3173-85 and D3174-82 ASTM standards by means of a LECO TGA-500, and the elemental composition was determined with a LECO TruSpec CHN and a TruSpec S analyzer. The higher heating value (HHV) was determined using a LECO AC-500 automatic calorimetric bomb.
Real density was determined in an AccuPyc 1330T Micromeritics equipment. All the samples were degassed at 120 °C for 18 h before the analyses. The surface areas and the porosity properties were measured via CO₂ adsorption at 0 °C using a surface area analyzer, Quantachrome Nova 4200 apparatus. CO₂ adsorption is a widely used method to analyze materials with narrow micropores, as is the case of carbonized materials. The isotherms were analyzed using the Dubinin Radushkevich equation (DR) for calculating the micropores volume (cm³·g⁻¹) and the equivalent micropore surface area (m²·g⁻¹). The pore size distribution was calculated using the Non Local Density Functional Theory (NL DFT) available in the software of the equipment.

Herbage samples were oven-dried at 60°C for 48 h at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur, Nepal, weighed and ground to pass a sieve of 0.75 mm mesh size on a Thomas mill. In Switzerland samples were analyzed for proximate contents following standard procedures (AOAC 1997 ; Van Soest et al. 1991 (link)). Dry matter and total ash were assessed on an automatic thermogravimetric determinator (TGA-500, Leco, St.Joseph, MI, USA: AOAC index no. 942.05) and nitrogen with a C/N analyzer (Analysator CN-2000, Leco, St.Joseph, MI, USA; AOAC 977.02). Crude protein (CP) was calculated as 6.25 × N. Contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber and acid detergent lignin were assessed on a Fibertec System M (Tecator 1020 Hot Extraction, Höganäs, Sweden). The methods were based on Van Soest et al. (1991 (link)), data were corrected for ash content, and for NDF analysis α-amylase and sodium sulfite were used. Hemicellulose was calculated as neutral detergent fiber − acid detergent fiber, and cellulose was computed as acid detergent fiber − acid detergent lignin.