Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis

The Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis (JAAP) is devoted to the publication of papers dealing with innovative applications of pyrolysis processes, the characterization of products related to pyrolysis reactions, and investigations of reaction mechanism. To be considered by JAAP, a manuscript should present significant progress in these topics. The novelty must be satisfactorily argued in the cover letter. A manuscript with a cover letter to the editor not addressing the novelty is likely to be rejected without review.

More specifically, the Scope of the Journal includes:

Fundamental pyrolysis research on chemical substances and materials comprising:
- experimental studies of pyrolysis reactions such as chemical mechanism and kinetic investigations; this includes preparative pyrolysis methods for the synthesis of novel compounds and mechanisms of high temperature reactions;
- computational and theoretical studies of reaction mechanism, kinetics, and thermodynamics are acceptable, provided they are directly related to experimental data, either new or previously published, but they must be described adequately in the paper;
- computational processing of pyrolysis data, such as advanced pattern recognition and principal component analysis and other multivariate analyses.

Analytical pyrolysis, i.e. the characterization of a material in inert atmosphere by thermally induced degradation reactions;
- exploring chemical composition and structure of materials by revealing thermal and chemical decomposition reactions leading to products fully identified by chemical and spectroscopic methods;
- applications of analytical pyrolysis in environmental, biological, medical, forensic, cultural heritage, food, geochemical, polymer, and materials science;
- new instrumentation and new analytical methods using pyrolysis reactions or to unravel the chemical composition of pyrolysis products.

Applied pyrolysis dealing with the development of pyrolysis processes for producing valuable chemicals and/or energy carriers (gas, liquid, solid or electricity) and/or materials from fossil or renewable feedstock or waste, the recycling of materials, and the disposal of toxic substances. The manuscript must discuss the relationships between pyrolysis conditions and product characteristics. This topic includes:

- various feedstock (fossil fuels, biomass, wastes, polymers, etc.) and the co-processing of different feedstock;

- various thermal processes (slow and fast pyrolysis, torrefaction, carbonization, high pressure pyrolysis, catalytic pyrolysis, deoxygenation, hydropyrolysis, solvent liquefaction).

The combination of a pyrolysis process with other types of treatment (mechanical, biological, or chemical) or materials characterization is within the scope of the journal only if the main focus of the manuscript is the pyrolysis process. Integrated processes combining pyrolysis reactors and products purification are welcome, if different pyrolysis conditions are studied. The computational modeling of pyrolysis reactors or processes should be related to experimental data, either new or previously published, but they must be described adequately in the paper.

The pyrolysis conditions should be described thoroughly (residence times of solid and vapors, temperature distributions, etc.). The pyrolysis products must be chemically characterized. Catalysts should be physically and chemically characterized before reaction, and, when feasible analysis of catalysts after reaction is also desirable. While this may not always be possible, at least qualitative assessments should be made.

The investigation of pyrolysis of a new feedstock or material with conventional methods, but without new development of the pyrolysis process is not sufficiently novel to be considered by JAAP.

Review articles are invited by the Editors but may also be proposed in writing to the Review Editor. The subject of review articles should be broad enough to appeal to a wide range of readers. Discussion should be concise, but adequate. More detailed discussion may be appropriate in some cases. It is expected that reviews should be critical rather than just catalogs of published data. They should include the most important, recent advances in the topic, whereas papers of low scientific significance should be given very limited coverage.

Out of the scope of JAAP

The Journal does not consider studies based on:

- the activation of carbons and characterization of activated carbons;

- thermal analysis, mass yields without characterization of the pyrolysis products by chemical and spectroscopic methods;

- characterization and application of pyrolysis products, unless clearly related to/aimed at understanding the influence/details of pyrolysis processes and conditions;

- theoretical studies, kinetic modelling etc. which are not complemented with or validated by experimental data

- combustion, gasification or incineration unless specifically related to the interplay between pyrolysis and oxidation reactions.