Chemical catalyzed recycling of polymers: catalytic conversion of PE, PP and PS into fuels and chemicals over H-Y

Abstract

In the following study the termocatalytic degradation of polyethylene of high and low density, (HDPE, LDPE), polypropylene (PP) and polyestyrene (PS) on the H-Y zeolite was performed. The catalytic activity was carried out in a batch reactor at 500 °C. The reaction time was 43,75 min. Liquid product yields ranged from ~42 and ~44% wt% for polyethylenes and PP, while the production of PS showed ~71 wt%. The gaseous products ranged between ~46 and ~52 for PE and PP and ~24 wt% for PS. The PP generated the greatest amount of carbonaceous residues (~10 wt%) whereas the LDPE produced the lowest (~4 wt%).