In-situ catalytic copyrolysis of cellulose and polypropylene over desilicated ZSM-5

Abstract

The catalytic pyrolysis of biomass using zeolites as catalysts is a promising technique for the production of renewable chemicals and fuels. On the other hand, the low effective hydrogen to carbon ratio of biomass results in a hydrogen-deficient hydrocarbon pool inside the catalyst and in turn the formation of carbonaceous deposits, which causes catalyst deactivation. The catalytic copyrolysis of cellulose and polypropylene was conducted using ZSM-5, desilicated ZSM-5, and Al-SBA-15. The co-feeding of polypropylene with cellulose led to the enhanced formation of aromatic hydrocarbons due to the increased hydrogen content of feedstock and the interaction between the cellulose-derived furans and olefins obtained from polypropylene. Microporous zeolites resulted in the production of more aromatic hydrocarbons compared to mesoporous Al-SBA-15. In addition, desilicated ZSM-5 showed better catalytic performance than the parent ZSM-5 due to the presence of larger channels that facilitate the diffusion of compounds with a wider range of molecular sizes.