The present research aims towards the study of thermal degradation kinetics and thermodynamics of Arachis hypogaea shells (AHS) to evaluate its potential for bioenergy production. Physicochemical characterization, i.e., proximate, ultimate, compositional analysis, and higher heating value (HHV) were carried out in addition to thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. Physicochemical characterization revealed high volatile matter (75.2 wt.%) with considerably lower moisture, ash contents, and significantly higher HHV (17 MJ/kg). TG analysis of AHS was conducted from ambient to 800 °C at multiple heating rates (10, 15, and 25 °C/min) using nitrogen as carrier gas. TG and derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) analysis disclosed that the maximum degradation occurs in the temperature ranging from 150 to 450 °C (~64%). The iso-conversional methods that were employed to determine kinetic and thermodynamic parameters are Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO), Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), Starink, and Friedman. Average values of activation energies as calculated by these models were 175.05, 173.65, 171.83, 175.95 kJ/mol respectively. The values of pre-exponential factor (A₀) lie in the magnitude of 10⁹–10²⁰ s⁻¹. The calculated average values of Gibbs free energy (ΔG) by FWO, KAS, Starink, and Friedman were 154.61, 154.66, 154.70, 154.63 kJ/mol, respectively. The average change in enthalpy (ΔH) and change in entropy (ΔS) for the degradation process were in between 166.54–170.65 kJ/mol and 19.99–27.05 J/mol.K, respectively. Reaction mechanism estimation was done using the Z-plot method associated with the Criado method which confirmed that thermal degradation of AHS follows multiple reaction mechanisms. The results suggest that AHS has the potential to be effectively used for the generation of bioenergy.

本研究旨在研究花生的热降解动力学和热力学。壳 (AHS) 以评估其生物能源生产潜力。除了热重 (TG) 分析之外，还进行了物理化学表征，即近似、最终、成分分析和更高的热值 (HHV)。物理化学表征显示高挥发性物质 (75.2 wt.%) 与相当低的水分、灰分含量和显着更高的 HHV (17 MJ/kg)。使用氮气作为载气，以多种加热速率（10、15 和 25 °C/分钟）从环境温度到 800 °C 进行 AHS 的 TG 分析。TG 和导数热重 (DTG) 分析表明，最大降解发生在 150 至 450 °C (~64%) 的温度范围内。用于确定动力学和热力学参数的等转化方法是 Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO)、Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS)、斯塔林克和弗里德曼。这些模型计算的活化能平均值分别为175.05、173.65、171.83、175.95 kJ/mol。指前因子的值（A₀ ) 位于 10 ⁹ –10 ²⁰  s ^{-1 的大小}。FWO、KAS、Starink 和 Friedman 计算的吉布斯自由能 (ΔG) 平均值分别为 154.61、154.66、154.70、154.63 kJ/mol。降解过程的平均焓变 (ΔH) 和熵变 (ΔS) 分别在 166.54-170.65 kJ/mol 和 19.99-27.05 J/mol.K 之间。使用与Criado 方法相关的Z绘图方法进行反应机制估计，该方法证实 AHS 的热降解遵循多种反应机制。结果表明，AHS 有可能被有效地用于生产生物能源。