Probing the influence of synthesized hierarchical ZSM-5 catalyst in ex-situ catalytic conversion of real-world plastic waste into aromatic rich liquid oil

Abstract

Plastic waste management has become a vitally important environmental and economic concern for researchers and technologists worldwide. Currently, catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste emerged as a promising plastic waste management technique, further aiding the full-scale development of an alternate innovation to convert plastic waste into fuel (liquid oil) energy. Lately, zeolites have been one of the most suitable and versatile catalysts in converting plastic waste into fuel grade hydrocarbons via catalytic pyrolysis. The present work exhibits an attempt to synthesize and study the performance of a hierarchical ZSM-5 in a fixed bed reactor to convert the real-world (LDPE, HDPE, PP and PS) plastic wastes into higher quality fuel grade liquid oil. The hierarchical ZSM-5 catalyst having both mesopores and micropores (dual porosity) in its framework is synthesized by using a single organic template i.e., 10 % tetra propylammonium hydroxide (TPAOH). The catalyst performance study displays remarkable selectivity and increase in the yield of the aromatic component in the liquid oil obtained from different plastic wastes. The results indicate that presence of hierarchical catalyst has exceptionally lowered the reaction temperature in the range of 400–430 °C and increased the liquid oil yield in comparison with that of the thermal pyrolysis. Also, the obtained liquid oils have comparable fuel properties with that of kerosene and diesel.