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Polyethylene catalytic cracking by thermogravimetric analysis

Effects of zeolitic properties and homogenization process

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Abstract

Polymer degradation by the catalytic cracking process has been investigated as an important way of hydrocarbon recovery with high added value. In addition, the effects of the catalyst properties and their behavior during the catalytic degradation of polyolefins have been studied using thermogravimetric analysis. In this context, the present work compares the interactions between the polymeric molecules and the contact surface of zeolitic catalysts (hierarchical and standard Beta zeolites, Y zeolite, ZSM-5, ZSM-12 and MCM-22) with different properties, in the catalytic cracking reactions of low-density polyethylene. It was also possible to evaluate distinct reaction mechanisms in function of the thermal homogenization procedure employed by thermogravimetric analysis. Among the zeolites with large pore diameters, the hierarchical Beta showed superior external area due to the use of a bulky silanized agent (phenylaminopropyl-trimethoxysilane) in the synthesis. In cracking reactions, the polymeric macromolecules mainly react in the external surface of the catalysts due to the several diffusional limitations imposed. Thus, the zeolitic catalysts exhibited behaviors respective to a combination of accessibility to the active centers and selectivity in function of the acid strength of the centers. So, based on this process, zeolites with larger external area values (hierarchical Beta, standard Beta, ZSM-5 and MCM-22) promoted the lower values of degradation temperature with high efficiency of conversion.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are immensely grateful to the Department of Chemical and Environmental Technology of the Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC, Spain) for performing the ammonia TPD analyses. The authors also thank the Foundation for the Coordination and Improvement of Higher Level or Education Personnel (CAPES, Brazil) for its financial support to this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, State University of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, 59610-210, Brazil

    Vinícius P. S. Caldeira, Anne G. D. Santos, Daniele S. Oliveira, Rafael B. Lima & Luiz D. Souza

  2. Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59078-970, Brazil

    Sibele B. C. Pergher

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  1. Vinícius P. S. Caldeira
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  2. Anne G. D. Santos
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Correspondence to Vinícius P. S. Caldeira.

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Caldeira, V.P.S., Santos, A.G.D., Oliveira, D.S. et al. Polyethylene catalytic cracking by thermogravimetric analysis. J Therm Anal Calorim 130, 1939–1951 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-017-6551-6

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