Catalytic decomposition of a mixture of poly(vinyl chloride) and low density polyethylene

Mixtures of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) were reacted in a flow reactor with a fixed catalyst leed at 450, 500 and 5 50 degreesC with 100 mL/min of N-2 as a carrier gas to clear the influence of mixing plastics on the yields of products. H-ZSM5 was used as the cataly st. Samples were injected to the top of the catalyst bed by a screwfeeder. Oil and gaseous products were recovered in the trap cooled with liquid nitr ogen and in a "Tedlar(R)" bag respectively. The products were analyzed by u sing GC. Pure PVC and LDPE were also reacted under the same conditions as t he mixtures for comparing. The mixture of PVC and LDPE in the ratio of 1 : 1 (weight) gave almost no e ffect on the yield of the lighter products such as gaseous product and BTX naphthalene at any reaction temperatures, i.e. the measured products yields were almost same value as the estimation by the results from pure PVC and LDPE. However, the mixture of PVC 1: LDPE 9 gave higher yield than those es timated on the lower boiling point products in the reaction at 500 and 550 degreesC. It is suggested that there may be an appropriate mixing ratios to give the maximum yield of such products in the reaction of mixture of plas tics. Under these reaction conditions, HCl evolved from PVC gave almost no influe nce on the products yields.