pyrolysis (rus. пиролиз otherwise термическое разложение) — (Greek pýr — fire, heat and lýsis — decomposition, breakdown) — chemical transformation of substances at high temperatures, usually in absence of oxygen or in a low-oxygen environment intended to prevent complete oxidation.

Description

This term is often used in a more narrow sense to refer to a process of deep thermal transformation of a hydrocarbon (oil, gas or biological material) that implies the destruction of molecules of original substances, their isomerisation and other transformations to increase the yield of light hydrocarbons.

Different variants of the pyrolysis process, such as aerosol spray pyrolysis, are used for the production of nanoparticles and the deposition of nanocoatings.

Author

  • Nikolay N. Tolkachev

Source

  1. Pyrolysis // The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (in Russian), 3rd. Edition V. 1–30. — Мoscow: Sovetskaja ehnciklopedija, 1969–1978. — http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/bse/120653/пиролиз (reference date: 27.07.2010).