Pyrolysis of Ethylene Vynyl Acetate Polymer by Natural Zeolite Catalyst as an Alternative Fuel

Abstract

In Indonesia, ethylene vinyl acetate polymer type of sponge waste increases in number. The increase was due to the increase of the shoe factory which was the main consumer of this type of sponge. Conversion of this type of waste is done as an alternative fuel oil through pyrolysis process. The purpose of this study is to convert the sponge waste through pyrolysis process using a batch type reactor with the aid of a natural zeolite catalyst. The research used variation of the catalyst weight from 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10% out of 200 grams of the weight of the feed with variations in reaction time ranging from 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes, 150 minutes, and 180 minutes. The results showed that the optimum yield obtained was 51.22% using 4 gram weight of catalyst with 180 minutes processing time. The GC-MS analysis showed that the largest functional group of pyrolysis products for the fraction above distillation, the fraction before distillation, and the fraction under distillation, respectively, are 3-Nitro-1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid (88.11%), Cyclopentane, 1,1'-[3-(2-Cyclopentylethyl)-1,5-Pentanediyl] Bis-(CAS)1,5-DicyclopentyL-3-(2-Cyclopentylethyl)-Pentane(19.77%), and 1,13-Tetradecadiene (10.07%). The calorific value of the pyrolysis oil produced was 10992.6 calories/gram. This result was similar to the calorific value of gasoline fuel (10509 calories/gram). In addition, the analysis of the physical characteristics of the pyrolysis oil fraction on distillation was the same as the standard specifications for petrol and diesel fuel oils.

Expanding Plastics Recycling Technologies: Chemical Aspects, Technology Status and Challenges

“…Natural zeolites were found to have moderate cracking ability with higher selectivity towards the liquid fraction, but its efficiency was strongly correlated to the plastic/catalyst ratio. 412,[450][451][452][453][454][455][456][457][458][459][460] Given the uncontrolled structure of natural zeolites, the materials contain impurities and there is little consistency amongst the materials. As such, there is high variability in the effectiveness of natural zeolites.…”

Expanding plastics recycling technologies: chemical aspects, technology status and challenges

“…Natural zeolites were found to have moderate cracking ability with higher selectivity towards the liquid fraction, but its efficiency was strongly correlated to the plastic/catalyst ratio. 393,[432][433][434][435][436][437][438][439][440][441][442] Given the uncontrolled structure of natural zeolites, the materials contain impurities and there is little consistency amongst the materials. As such, there is high variability in the effectiveness of natural zeolites.…”

The Use of Heterogeneous Catalysis in the Chemical Valorization of Plastic Waste

“…[99] Natural zeolites in the protonated form have been used for PP, HDPE, LDPE, PS, PP/HDPE, EVA, and PET degradations and have shown moderate cracking ability and improved yields of liquid product, while also increasing char production. [98,99,107,111,112,[182][183][184][185][186][187][188][189][190][191][192][193][194] However, catalyst efficiency has been strongly correlated to p/c ratio. [191,192] For example, when catalyzing polystyrene at a high p/c ratio at 450°C, natural zeolite has been found to decrease liquid and gas production as compared to thermal degradation while significantly increasing char concentration.…”

“…Naturally occurring silica‐rich zeolites, such as clinoptilolite and mordenite, are studied as potential catalyst materials because they are readily available and inexpensive [99] . Natural zeolites in the protonated form have been used for PP, HDPE, LDPE, PS, PP/HDPE, EVA, and PET degradations and have shown moderate cracking ability and improved yields of liquid product, while also increasing char production [98,99,107,111,112,182–194] . However, catalyst efficiency has been strongly correlated to p/c ratio [191,192] .…”