THERMAL DEGRADATION HYDROGENATION OF COMMODITY PLASTICS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THEIR LIQUEFACTION PRODUCTS/

The aim of this work is to establish thermal degradation behavior of p olymers and polymer mixtures and non-catalytic liquefaction of low den sity polyethylene (LDPE) under different conditions followed by charac terization of the products. The polymers investigated for thermal degr adation studies are poly(vinylchloride) (PVC), polyethylene terephthal ate (PET), and LDPE. TGA data was used to select liquefaction temperat ure for LDPE and other polymer(s). Thermal degradation rates were meas ured using weight loss during isothermal thermogravimetry experiments, Apparent first-order degradation constants were used to compare the r esults. The thermal degradation of single polymers were different from that of the mixture of polymers. Two different homopolymer samples sh owed different patterns of thermal degradation. The presence of a swel ling agent (such as tetralin) affected the degradation rate and the pr oduct distribution. LDPE was liquefied at various temperatures and hyd rogen pressures and the liquid products were characterized in terms of hydrocarbon fractions. Increasing the liquefaction temperature from 4 20 to 440 degrees C, increased the oil yield from 10 to 59% (60 min, 8 00 psig H-2, tetralin). Increasing H-2 pressure lowered the viscosity of the oils by increasing the < C-14 fraction but did not affect the o il yield. The recovered solid polymer fraction showed significant redu ction in molecular weight and polydispersity, and increases in crystal linity and melting temperature (T-m). All these variations were due to the direct result of liquefaction and subsequent extraction of the pr oducts by different solvents.