Catalytic microwave-assisted pyrolysis of plastic waste to produce naphtha for a circular economy

Leilei Dai, Hailong Zhao, Nan Zhou, Kirk Cobb, Paul Chen, Yanling Cheng, Hanwu Lei, Rongge Zou, Yunpu Wang, Roger Ruan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Catalytic cracking of plastics into naphtha as a substitute for new plastic production has the potential to contribute to the plastic circular economy. However, mitigating catalyst deactivation in large-scale processes poses a significant challenge. Here, we demonstrate a remarkable improvement (4.3 × to 12.3 ×) in catalyst lifetime by utilizing hierarchical ZSM-5 catalysts compared to conventional analogues. Increasing the Brønsted acid concentration from 0 to 302 µmol/g enhances catalyst lifetime by over 46 × and boosts cumulative aromatic selectivity from 6 to 73%. Catalyst characterization reveals the development of significant voids after modification, enhancing molecular transport within the hierarchical ZSM-5. Economic analysis shows a pilot system with a 10 ton/day capacity yielding an annual profit of $344,999 and an 11.5% return on investment. Life cycle assessment indicates a reduction of 817.6 kg CO2 eq compared to traditional plastic-to-fuels technology. These findings advance the plastic circular economy and bring us closer to commercial implementation.

Original languageEnglish
Article number107154
JournalResources, Conservation and Recycling
Volume198
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2023
Externally publishedYes

Funding

We acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 52170141 , 21878137 ), China Scholarship Council (CSC), Resynergi, the University of Minnesota MnDrive Environment Program MNE12, and the University of Minnesota Center for Biorefining. Parts of this work were carried out in the Characterization Facility, University of Minnesota, which receives partial support from NSF through the MRuSEC program.

FundersFunder number
National Science Foundation
University of Minnesota
National Natural Science Foundation of China52170141, 21878137
National Natural Science Foundation of China
China Scholarship Council

    Keywords

    • Catalytic cracking
    • Hierarchical
    • Naphtha
    • Plastic waste
    • ZSM-5

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