Abstract
The polyolefin to lighter molecules reaction reduces the waste-plastic residues to produce fuels and valuable chemicals. Commercial MgO light and CaO were used as catalysts for the direct polyethylene and polypropylene liquefaction in N2 or CO2 atmospheres. The products were analyzed (ATR-FTIR, GC-FID/TCD, GC-FID, density, refractive index). The use of MgO light and CaO improved the conversion of propylene and ethylene to liquid products. In addition, low gaseous and solid products yields were obtained. A good production of organic liquids in the gasoline, diesel and kerosene boiling range was obtained. The use of CO2, in some cases, led to a higher conversion into liquids compared with the reactions performed in the N2 atmosphere. In addition, the use of the CO2 atmosphere led to a higher content of products with a boiling range in the diesel and kerosene ranges.
Highlights
The increasing prices and demand, the threat of global warming and the scarcity of fossil fuels and chemicals are increasing the global need for the production of environmentally friendly and renewable fuels and chemicals
In terms of using waste plastic, there is the advantage of waste plastic having a lower oxygen content and higher carbon contents compared with the biomass oxygen and carbon contents
Twelve tests were carried out to study the direct liquefaction of model clean polyethylene and polypropylene by using CaO and MgO light commercial solids as catalysts
Summary
The increasing prices and demand, the threat of global warming and the scarcity of fossil fuels and chemicals are increasing the global need for the production of environmentally friendly and renewable fuels and chemicals. Incineration with the subsequent potential toxic gas production and physical recycling, such as clean PET waste, is limited by repeated cycles and gradual degradation [4]. Another procedure to produce valuable products from waste plastic is the pyrolysis reaction. This reaction is a thermal degradation of long-chain molecules to produce short-chain molecules. It has a long history, from the pyrolysis of wood to produce coal to the pyrolysis of plastics in the last 30 years [5]. The pyrolysis of polymers can produce organic products with up to 80 wt% liquid [5,6,7,8]
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