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Conversion of polyethylene into gasoline-range fuels by two-stage catalytic degradation using silica-alumina and HZSM-5 zeolite

Journal Article · · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie980341+· OSTI ID:329255
; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Muroran Inst. of Tech., Mizumoto, Muroran (Japan). Dept. of Applied Chemistry
  2. UMIST, Manchester (United Kingdom)

A two-stage catalytic degradation of polyethylene using amorphous silica-alumina and HZSM-5 zeolite catalysts in series has been developed for converting the polymer into high-quality gasoline-range fuels. Compared with the one-stage degradation over each catalyst, the two-stage method provides some advantages. They are an improved gasoline yield and a high octane number despite low aromatics content. Significant results were obtained when silica-alumina and HZSM-5 were used in a weight ratio of 9:1 as upper and lower catalysts, respectively, in a flow reactor. The reverse sequence of catalysts showed no advantage. It was suggested that large pores and moderate acidity of the silica-alumina loaded in the upper layer operated favorably to catalyze the degradation of polyethylene into liquid hydrocarbons. The resulting oils showed low quality, and they were transformed into high-quality gasoline on the strongly acidic sites of the HZSM-5 loaded in the lower layer at the expense of oil yield. Increases in concentration of isoparaffins and aromatics contributed to the upgrading.

OSTI ID:
329255
Journal Information:
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Journal Name: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 38; ISSN IECRED; ISSN 0888-5885
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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