CATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE - AN EVALUATION OFMESOPOROUS AND MICROPOROUS CATALYSTS USING THERMAL-ANALYSIS

Catalytic degradation of waste polymers offers the potential for the s elective recovery of useful chemical fractions by influencing the prod uct distributions. Thermogravimetric analysis has been used to investi gate the activity of various aluminosilicate catalysts in the degradat ion of high density polyethylene (HDPE). Amorphous silica-alumina sign ificantly reduced the apparent activation energy as compared with unca talysed thermal processes. Zeolites Y and ZSM-5 further reduced the ac tivation energy resulting in more rapid degradation. Aluminium contain ing MCM-41 was found to be active in the degradation of HDPE at a rate similar to that of HZSM-5, confirming the potential of this family of materials in the cracking of heavier hydrocarbons. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.