Liquefaction of Prangmites Australis by Supercritical Gas Extraction

Abstract

Prangmites australis Mill was converted to liquid products by using organic solvents (methanol and ethanol) with catalyst (10% NaOH) and without catalyst in an autoclave at temperatures of 523 and 563 K. The liquid products were extracted by liquid-liquid ex-traction (benzene and diethyl ether). The yields from supercritical methanol and ethanol coversions were 38.7 and 53.6%, respectively, at 563 K. In the catalytic runs with methanol and ethanol the extracts were 44.2 and 57.6%, respectively, at 563 K. The yields from supercritical methanol were increased from 373 to 44.2% as the temperature was increased from 523 to 563 K in the catalytic run. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.