Kinetics Studies on the Catalytic Thermal Degradation of High Density Polyehylene

Thermogravimetric analysis of high density polyethylene and Co3+ catalyst mixtures was studied under non-isothermal conditions. The mixtures used in this study consist of blends of HDPE: Co3+ in 3:1 and 5:1 ratios. The pyrolysis was carried out over a temperature range of 30 to 800°C in an inert atmosphere of nitrogen, with a heating rate of 10°C/min. The kinetic parameters were evaluated using the Coats and Redfern method. The activation energy of raw HDPE was decreased by Co3+ catalyst by nearly 80% within the given temperature ranges. A reduction in the activation energy of the blended mixture was observed, which clearly indicates the synergism in the co-cracking/co-processing reactions. The reaction is defined as zero order reaction. The catalyst chosen for pyrolysis shows effective aspects on HDPE degradation.