In the present research, TG and FTIR were used to study the effect of chemical activation pretreatment on sludge pyrolysis. The results showed that both acidic and alkaline activation promoted sludge pyrolysis. KOH inhibited the elimination of crystallization water and promoted the
release of volatiles. On the other hand, H2SO4 favored the separation of crystallization water and the release of volatiles. Low concentrations of the activator promoted the production of combustible gas and inhibited the generation of CO2. By analyzing the
activation energy of the pyrolysis process using the Coats-Redfern method, it was found that both, KOH and H2SO4, were able to reduce the pyrolysis activation energy. When H2SO4 was used, the effect was more significant.