pyrolysis

From pyro- +‎ -lysis.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /paɪˈɹɒlɪsɪs/, /pɪˈɹɒlɪsɪs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /paɪˈɹɑləsɪs/

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• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /pɑɪˈɹɔlɪsɪs/

pyrolysis (countable and uncountable, plural pyrolyses)

1. (physical chemistry) The decomposition of a material or compound due to heat, in the absence of oxygen or other reagents.
   • 1972, A. C. Knipe, “Chapter 4: Elimination Reactions”, in B. Capon, C. W. Rees, editors, Organic Reaction Mechanisms 1971, page 143:

     Techniques that have successfully identified ionic intermediates in solution have been applied to gas-phase pyrolyses.

   • 1980, J. H. Purnell, “Homogeneous Alkane Cracking”, in William Pryor, editor, Frontiers of Free Radical Chemistry: The route to quantitative description to very high conversion, page 94:

     Twenty years ago our real understanding of the mechanism of alkane pyrolyses was little better than rudimentary.

   • 2001, P. T. Williams, R. P. Bottrill, A. J. Brindle, A. M. Cunliffe, “The potential of pyrolysis for recycling used tyres”, in Ravindra K. Dhir, Mukesh C. Limbachiya, Kevin A. Paine, editors, Recycling and Reuse of Used Tyres: Proceedings of the International Symposium, page 187:

     Pyrolysis involves the thermal degradation of the rubber of the tyre to give an oil and gas leaving a residual solid carbon and the steel casing of the tyre.

   • 2006, John C. F. Walker, Primary Wood Processing: Principles and Practice, 2nd edition, Springer, page 541:

     Traditional pyrolysis of wood relies on low temperatures and long processing time to increase the charcoal yield. In contrast, modern or fast pyrolysis uses moderate temperatures (400-500°C) and very short residence times (typically only a few seconds) to maximize the production of liquids (Diebold and Bridgewater, 1997).

• pyrolyse, pyrolyze
• pyrolytic
• pyrolytically

• autolysis
• electrolysis
• hydrolysis
• photolysis
• fire