{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T21:13:52Z","timestamp":1792790032709,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]],"date-time":"2026-09-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790294400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"King Faisal University","award":["KFU265013"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["KFU265013"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00dn43547","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"award":["KFU265013"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["KFU265013"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00dn43547","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Polymers"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Lemon-tree pruning wood is a lignocellulosic natural-polymer solid whose cell wall is built from cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. This study evaluates the use of this polymer matrix as a solid biofuel by combining physicochemical characterization with non-isothermal oxidative conversion at 20\u201380 K min\u22121. Lemon-tree branch (LTB) from orchards in Nubaria, Egypt, was analyzed for proximate and ultimate composition, Van Soest fiber fractions, HHV, FTIR, XRD and SEM\u2013EDX. Thermogravimetric combustion was carried out in air at 20, 40, 60 and 80 K min\u22121. Apparent activation energies were obtained by five isoconversional methods (FR, FWO, KAS, STK, VY) and by Kissinger analysis of the two dry-fuel DTG peaks. Reaction models were screened by Criado master plots, a single-event \u0160est\u00e1k\u2013Berggren fit and Coats\u2013Redfern. LTB is a moderately crystalline xylem (cellulose 52.11 wt%, CrI 52.6%, lignin 17.11 wt%) with moisture 7.10 wt%, volatile matter 77.80 wt%, fixed carbon 19.90 wt%, ash 2.30 wt% and HHV 18.50 MJ kg\u22121. Nitrogen and sulfur are 0.55 and 0.18 wt%. Combustion proceeds in three stages: Stage 1 moisture release, Stage 2 holocellulose-dominated oxidative devolatilization (65\u201368 wt% loss, Tp1 \u2248 600\u2013640 K) and Stage 3 char oxidation (\u224825 wt% loss, Tp2 \u2248 710\u2013730 K). Mean isoconversional Ea on \u03b1 = 0.1\u20130.7 is 98\u2013115 kJ mol\u22121 and rises to ~212 kJ mol\u22121 at \u03b1 = 0.8. Criado plots follow F2\/F3\/D3 up to \u03b1 \u2248 0.5; a \u0160est\u00e1k\u2013Berggren function with m = 0.174 and n = 2.3 describes the Stage 2 window (R2 = 0.890) as an empirical fit only. Coats\u2013Redfern selects F2 for Stage 2. \u0394H tracks Ea, \u0394G is positive, and \u0394S is negative on Stage 2. LTB is a low-ash woody pruning fuel suitable for pellets or co-firing if Stage 3 is completed above ~750 K.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/polym18192344","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]],"date-time":"2026-09-25T12:31:44Z","timestamp":1790339504000},"page":"2344","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Combustion Kinetics of Natural Polymers in Lemon-Tree Pruning Wood at High Heating Rates: Criado Master Plots and \u0160est\u00e1k\u2013Berggren Modelling"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4078-288X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohamed Anwar","family":"Ismail","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2773-865X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ibrahim","family":"Dubdub","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"software","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"formal-analysis","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"supervision","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"funding-acquisition","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4599-0856","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Suleiman","family":"Mousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"software","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"formal-analysis","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"visualization","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2717-8736","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohammed","family":"Al-Yaari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"visualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"supervision","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"project-administration","vocabulary":"credit"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"International Energy Agency (2025). World Energy Outlook 2025, International Energy Agency."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Basu, P., and Kaushal, P. (2024). Biomass Gasification, Pyrolysis, and Torrefaction: Practical Design, Theory, and Climate Change Mitigation, Academic Press. [4th ed.].","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-443-13784-6.00005-6"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"231","DOI":"10.1016\/j.renene.2012.01.083","article-title":"Fluidized Bed Combustion of Residues from Oranges\u2019 Plantations and Processing","volume":"44","author":"Vamvuka","year":"2012","journal-title":"Renew. Energy"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Palma, A., Gallucci, F., Papandrea, S., Carnevale, M., Paris, E., Vincenti, B., Salerno, M., Di Stefano, V., and Proto, A.R. (2023). Experimental Study of the Combustion of and Emissions from Olive and Citrus Pellets in a Small Boiler. Fire, 6.","DOI":"10.3390\/fire6080288"},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"1485","article-title":"Prediction and Evaluation of Biomass Obtained from Citrus Trees Pruning","volume":"11","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Food Agric. Environ."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"531","DOI":"10.13031\/2013.32056","article-title":"The Influence of Mechanical Pruning in Cost Reduction, Production of Fruit, and Biomass Waste in Citrus Orchards","volume":"26","year":"2010","journal-title":"Appl. Eng. Agric."},{"key":"ref_7","unstructured":"USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (2024). Citrus Annual: Egypt, Report No. EG2024-0030."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Eid, A.R., Amer, B.M.A., Bakr, B.M.M., El-Shawadfy, M.A., Abdou, M.A.A., Fekry, W.M.E., Farig, M., Metwally, K.A., and Tarabye, H.H.H. (2025). Automatic Control of Irrigation and Increased Fertilization Frequency to Improve Lemon Production under Dry Conditions. Horticulturae, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/horticulturae11060573"},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Da\u011ftekin, M., G\u00fcrdil, G.A.K., and Demirel, B. (2019). Bio-Energy Potential from Lemon Orchards. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Trends in Agricultural Engineering (TAE 2019), Prague, Czech Republic, 17\u201320 September 2019, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1139","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fuel.2013.08.049","article-title":"Spanish Biofuels Heating Value Estimation. Part II: Proximate Analysis Data","volume":"117","author":"Pizarro","year":"2014","journal-title":"Fuel"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Palma, A., Paris, E., Carnevale, M., Vincenti, B., Perilli, M., Guerriero, E., Cerasa, M., Proto, A.R., Papandrea, S.F., and Bonofiglio, R. (2022). Biomass Combustion: Evaluation of POPs Emissions (VOC, PAH, PCB, PCDD\/F) from Three Different Biomass Prunings (Olive, Citrus and Grapevine). Atmosphere, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/atmos13101665"},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"1","article-title":"Kinetic Characterization of the Residues from the Pruning of Apple Trees for Their Use as Energy Vectors","volume":"50","author":"Bove","year":"2016","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. Trans."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"266","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biortech.2016.04.097","article-title":"Thermal Behaviour and Kinetic Study of the Olive Oil Production Chain Residues and Their Mixtures during Co-Combustion","volume":"214","author":"Buratti","year":"2016","journal-title":"Bioresour. Technol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"557","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biortech.2017.10.045","article-title":"Kinetic Analysis of Pyrolysis and Combustion of the Olive Tree Pruning by Chemical Fractionation","volume":"249","author":"Calero","year":"2018","journal-title":"Bioresour. Technol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s12155-025-10931-y","article-title":"Thermal Decomposition of Various Biomass Samples in Inert and Oxidative Atmospheres: Kinetic Models and Process Parameters","volume":"19","author":"Lozano","year":"2025","journal-title":"Bioenergy Res."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ismail, M.A., Dubdub, I., Mousa, S., Al-Yaari, M., Alfaiad, M.A., and Alshehab, A. (2025). Assessing Lemon Peel Waste as a Solid Biofuel: A Study of Its Combustion Behaviour, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics. Polymers, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/polym17212830"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mousa, S., Almithn, A., Dubdub, I., Alshehab, A., and Ismail, M.A. (2026). Assessing the Bioenergy Potential of Peanut Shell Waste: High Heating Rate Combustion Behavior and Thermodynamic Analysis. Polymers, 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/polym18050560"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tca.2011.03.034","article-title":"ICTAC Kinetics Committee Recommendations for Performing Kinetic Computations on Thermal Analysis Data","volume":"520","author":"Vyazovkin","year":"2011","journal-title":"Thermochim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"178597","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tca.2020.178597","article-title":"ICTAC Kinetics Committee Recommendations for Analysis of Multi-Step Kinetics","volume":"689","author":"Vyazovkin","year":"2020","journal-title":"Thermochim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"186","DOI":"10.1016\/0040-6031(78)85151-X","article-title":"Kinetic Analysis of DTG Data from Master Curves","volume":"24","author":"Criado","year":"1978","journal-title":"Thermochim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"377","DOI":"10.1016\/0040-6031(89)85192-5","article-title":"Applicability of the Master Plots in Kinetic Analysis of Non-Isothermal Data","volume":"147","author":"Criado","year":"1989","journal-title":"Thermochim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"1","article-title":"Study of the Kinetics of the Mechanism of Solid-State Reactions at Increasing Temperatures","volume":"3","author":"Berggren","year":"1971","journal-title":"Thermochim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12456","DOI":"10.1021\/jp064792g","article-title":"Combined Kinetic Analysis of Solid-State Reactions: A Powerful Tool for the Simultaneous Determination of Kinetic Parameters and the Kinetic Model without Previous Assumptions on the Reaction Mechanism","volume":"110","author":"Criado","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Phys. Chem. A"},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"(2014). Standard Test Method for Compositional Analysis by Thermogravimetry (Standard No. ASTM E1131-08)."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"(2021). Standard Test Methods for Instrumental Determination of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen in Laboratory Samples of Coal and Carbon in Analysis Samples of Coal and Coke (Standard No. ASTM D5373-21)."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"(2019). Standard Test Method for Gross Calorific Value of Coal and Coke (Standard No. ASTM D5865\/D5865M-19)."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3583","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(91)78551-2","article-title":"Methods for Dietary Fiber, Neutral Detergent Fiber, and Nonstarch Polysaccharides in Relation to Animal Nutrition","volume":"74","author":"Robertson","year":"1991","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"786","DOI":"10.1177\/004051755902901003","article-title":"An Empirical Method for Estimating the Degree of Crystallinity of Native Cellulose Using the X-Ray Diffractometer","volume":"29","author":"Segal","year":"1959","journal-title":"Text. Res. J."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1038\/201068a0","article-title":"Kinetic Parameters from Thermogravimetric Data","volume":"201","author":"Coats","year":"1964","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1051","DOI":"10.1016\/S0016-2361(01)00131-4","article-title":"A Unified Correlation for Estimating HHV of Solid, Liquid and Gaseous Fuels","volume":"81","author":"Channiwala","year":"2002","journal-title":"Fuel"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fraga, L.G., Silva, J., Teixeira, S., Soares, D., Ferreira, M., and Teixeira, J. (2020). Influence of Operating Conditions on the Thermal Behavior and Kinetics of Pine Wood Particles Using Thermogravimetric Analysis. Energies, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/en13112756"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"939","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fuproc.2009.02.010","article-title":"Investigation of Combustion Kinetics of Treated and Untreated Waste Wood Samples with Thermogravimetric Analysis","volume":"90","author":"Yorulmaz","year":"2009","journal-title":"Fuel Process. Technol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"938","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2016.06.088","article-title":"Thermogravimetric Analysis of the Co-Combustion of Eucalyptus Residues and Paper Mill Sludge","volume":"106","author":"Cai","year":"2016","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"897","DOI":"10.1016\/j.renene.2015.05.049","article-title":"Determination and Comparison of Combustion Kinetics Parameters of Agricultural Biomass from Olive Trees","volume":"83","author":"Zamorano","year":"2015","journal-title":"Renew. Energy"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"868","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fuel.2017.05.050","article-title":"Combustion of Turkish Lignites and Olive Residue: Experiments and Kinetic Modelling","volume":"203","author":"Riaza","year":"2017","journal-title":"Fuel"}],"container-title":["Polymers"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-4360\/18\/19\/2344\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,27]],"date-time":"2026-09-27T04:36:17Z","timestamp":1790483777000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-4360\/18\/19\/2344"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"19","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10]]}},"alternative-id":["polym18192344"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/polym18192344","relation":{},"ISSN":["2073-4360"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2073-4360","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]]}}}