Application of clay catalysts in waste plastic pyrolysis to convert to fuel grade hydrocarbon.

Today's Environmental condition attracts every researcher to address the issues causing problems in it. One such issue is waste plastics in solid waste disposal, due to its non-degradable nature and long shelf life. Replacement for these plastics is quite difficult in the era in which everything depends on it due to its unique properties. Instead of avoiding it, one must work towards its proper utilization and finding solution for the already produced "one time use" plastics. Many works has been carried out to solve waste plastic reduction from disposal such as Methanolysis, Hydrolysis, Glycolysis, Gasification and Pyrolysis. Among these except pyrolysis all other process need homogeneous and complex condition for operation. Pyrolysis gaining importance as it is converting waste plastics into value added product like, light oil, gasoline and fuel grade hydrocarbon by heating the plastics in absence of air in defined condition. These hydrocarbon obtained can be directly used in energy sector as alternative fuel to meet the requirement. To improve the quality and quantity of yield obtained by pyrolysis process, many catalysts were used. Some of them are acid catalysts, HZSM-5, HY and Hb-zeolite-based catalysts, the solid super acid catalysts ZrO2/SO4, and Pt-stabilized ZrO2/SO4, ECat-1, Aluminum oxide γ-Al2O3. These catalysts reduce the problem associated with thermal pyrolysis like high temperature and high reaction time but are difficult to maintain due to large amount of carbon deposition andis economically not feasible to use in industrial scale. Current work is focusing on using alumina-silicates composition catalyst like montmorillonite clays for converting waste plastics into fuel grade hydrocarbon. These catalysts are low cost and effective in liquid conversion of waste plastics. In this paper, the process of converting waste Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and Polypropylene (PP) using Na-Montmorillonite clay catalyst at 400-440 °C into diesel grade oil with 60-70% yield is discussed. Theseresults were compared with fuel sample obtained using zeolite catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]