Catalytic cracking of polyethylene over zeolite mordenite with enhanced textural properties

By J. Aguado, D. Serrano, Jose M. Escola, Á. Peral. 2009

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Abstract Catalytic cracking of low density polyethylene (LDPE) has been investigated using different samples of mordenite zeolite as catalyst. In order to obtain materials with different textural properties, a new synthesis method based on the functionalization of the zeolite seeds with an organosilane was employed. Mordenite samples with BET and external surface areas in the range 385–485 and 9–57 m 2 /g, respectively, were prepared. LDPE catalytic cracking reactions were performed at 420 °C for 2 h in a batch reactor provided with a screw stirrer under a continuous nitrogen flow. Thermal cracking of LDPE leads to plastic conversion lower than 30%, while values of 40% are reached when traditional mordenite is used as catalyst. In contrast, when mordenite samples with enhanced textural properties were employed, a plastic conversion of 60% is attained, both gas (C 1 –C 5 ) and gasoline (C 6 –C 12 ) fractions being obtained as main products. On the contrary, gasoline fraction is not observed and a heavier hydrocarbon fraction in the range C 13 –C 35 is detected when thermal cracking or even catalytic cracking over traditional mordenite samples are carried out. The formation of lighter hydrocarbon products (C 6 –C 12 ) over mordenite samples with enhanced textural properties is assigned to the higher activity and accessibility of their acid sites, which promotes both end-chain and random scission cracking reactions of the polymer molecules.

Subfields: Inorganic Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/9fd94599020678680bc41dd6c034acf84934cc8f

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