• Journal of Korea Foresty Energy
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2002

Various types of acids, such as mineral acids, organic acids, and organic sulfonic acids, were used as catalysts in order to investigate their effectiveness during phenol liquefaction of pine bark. Hydrochloric arid was the most effective acid catalyst of the mineral acids used in this experiment for the phenol liquefaction, but the amount of the acid needed for more than 90% liquefaction was at least 11 mmol. Among the carboxylic acids used triflouroacetic acid (TFA) was effective for the liquefaction, but it was not possible to obtain liquefaction of more than 80%. Organic sulfonic acids, p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA) and methanesulfonic acid (MSA), showed remarkable effects for liquefaction, even in small amounts and at low liquefaction temperatures. Especially in the case of PTSA, a 92% liquefaction yield was obtained at the liquefaction condition of 14$0^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. Therefore, it was evident that the PTSA is a good acid catalyst for the phenol-pine bark liquefaction system.