Thermal decomposition products of cellulose

Abstract
Untreated and flame‐retardant‐treated cellulose were thermally decomposed under vacuum and the products were quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography. An unidentified product at a retention index of 2270 (between 5‐methylfurfural and 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural), α‐ and β‐D‐glucose, and a group of “dimers” that have not been reported previously were found in this study. The identification of this unknown product should assist in studies on the thermal decomposition of cellulose and further the understanding of the mechanism of flame retardancy.