Abstract: A novel procedure of refining biomass-pyrolysis oil was developed. The procedure was based on fractionation of the bio-oil with water into water-soluble and water-insoluble fractions. Water-soluble fraction was used to obtain ester mixture through reactive rectification. The yield of ester mixture was about 21%(based on original bio-oil). According to its molecular structure, two methods were provided to utilize water-insoluble fraction(mixture of phenolic compounds) as follows: 1)Water-insoluble fraction was used as a substitute for phenol at different ratio to prepare phenolic novolac resins. The obtained resin possessed suitable curing time and softening point as conventional novolac resins. 2)Upgraded bio-oil was obtained by Williamson reaction using phase transfer catalysis. The result of GC-MS analysis showed that carboxylic and phenolic groups in the water-insoluble fraction were transformed into corresponding esters and ethers while acidity was lowered and stability was improved.

Key words: bio-oil, pyrolysis, refining, reactive rectification, novolac resins