Abstract
A combination of experimental and statistical analysis presents a comprehensive understanding of the microwave pyrolysis technique for catalytic deconstruction of mixed-density plastics. By optimizing the process parameters and catalyst selection, it is possible to maximize the production of valuable solid and energy products, contributing to sustainable waste management. In this work, different mixed-density plastics were pyrolyzed with different catalysts and residence times to yield liquid fuel, syngas, and structured carbon residue. The effect of inputs on the product type, yield and composition was statistically evaluated using ANOVA, which showed an F value of 4.108 and a p-value of 0.098 (>1.00). FTIR and GC-MS revealed that the oil product consisted of C13+ fractions in the form of alkanes, alkenes, and aromatics. The microscopic analysis of the residue confirmed the formation of carbon nanotubes along with other amorphous products. The presence of impurities in the solid product was further analyzed through XRD analysis. The pyrolytic liquid fuel revealed the presence of conjugated aromatic structure and carbonyl group in their concentration. This research demonstrated that converting mixed-density plastics using sodium zeolite, aluminum oxide, and nickel oxide catalysts yields 84% valuable products, confirming wasted plastics as a lucrative energy feedstock for producing hydrogen and high-value carbon compounds.
Published Version
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