Activity Features of Catalysts for Thermocatalytic Hydrogenation Processing of Polymer Waste

Abstract

The aim of this study was to obtain new catalysts for the processing of carbon-containing polymer waste based on polyethylene and polypropylene, represented mostly by lids from beverages bottled in plastic containers, which accumulate in huge quantities in landfills, by the method of thermocatalytic hydrogenation into liquid fuels and other products. The process was carried out in the presence of fuel oil as a binder, a source of hydrogen and additional hydrocarbons. Thus, two tasks can be solved simultaneously: recycling the polymer waste and obtaining the alternative raw materials from the polymer waste in order to save resources and improve the environmental situation in general. New catalysts based on activated zeolite modified with Mo(VI) and W(VI) salts of various concentrations for the thermocatalytic hydrogenation processing of waste plastics into motor fuels were synthesized. The composition, structure, morphology and adsorption properties of the catalysts were determined by different physicochemical methods. The suitability of the obtained catalysts for use in the thermocatalytic hydrogenation processing of plastic waste into fuels was determined. The catalysts were tested during the processing of a mixture of polyethylene-polypropylene: a paste-forming agent (fuel oil) at T=450 °C and a pressure of 0.6 MPa. The individual and group composition of gasoline, diesel and gas oil fractions was determined by chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The maximum yield of the gasoline fraction (16.9 wt.%) and diesel fraction (39.31 wt.%) was obtained on a 2%W(VI)/diatomite catalyst.