Degradação termocatalítica de PEAD e PP utilizando as zeólitas H-Y e H-Beta para produção de combustíveis líquidos

Abstract

The problem of environmental pollution caused by improper disposal of plastics in the environment has become the subject of countless discussions among scientists over the last decades. Polymers, which are essential for industry in many industries, have low biodegradability, whose degradation time can vary from a few decades to several hundred years. In recent years, one of the alternatives that has been calling the attention of researchers to try to overcome this problem is the thermocatalytic degradation of thermoplastic materials. This type of process aims to generate low molecular weight and high added value compounds such as hydrocarbons with carbon chain size similar to fossil fuels. In this study, samples of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) were subjected to thermal (without catalysts) and thermocatalytic degradation through the use of HY and H-Beta zeolites in a thermogravimetric balance and in a bench reactor. For the tests in the thermogravimetric balance, the parameters of kinetic study, such as activation energy, were raised and for the tests in the bench reactor, the products were collected and later analyzed by gas chromatography, in order to obtain an estimate carbon distribution of the formed products. Zeolitic materials were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy and n-butylamine desorption acidity assays. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that it is possible to generate hydrocarbon fractions in the range of gasoline and diesel oil in both thermal degradation processes. However, the use of zeolitic catalysts, in addition to reducing the degradation temperature, contributes to the final product having a distribution of smaller carbon chains, getting closer to gasoline.