Scholarly record

STUDY OF THE PROCESS OF THERMAL DESTRUCTION OF PLASTIC WASTE OF ETHYLENE COPOLYMERS

Kirill Chalov, Yury Lugovoy, Margarita Monzharenko, Mikhail Sulman

Abstract

With the rapid growth of polymer consumption, the issue of efficient recycling and disposal of plastic waste is becoming increasingly pressing. One promising approach is thermal degradation (pyrolysis), which yields valuable hydrocarbon products [1]. Of particular interest is the recycling of polyethylene with increased thermal stability (PE-RT) with the addition of octylene-1. This material combines thermal stability, mechanical strength, flexibility, chemical resistance, and processability, making it a highly effective material for a wide range of piping and engineering applications. However, its high physical and mechanical properties complicate the recycling of its waste using standard thermoplastic methods [2]. This study examines the thermal recycling of PERT (ethylene-octylene copolymer) plastic pipe waste. Processing was conducted using pyrolysis in a laboratory setup with a feed rate of up to 5 grams. The reactor is a vertical, batch-type steel apparatus. The setup is equipped with a system for separating and collecting liquid and gaseous products, as well as a gas sampler. The thermal degradation of plastic waste was studied in the temperature range of 450-550 C. The qualitative and quantitative composition of the gaseous products was assessed. Gas analysis was performed by gas chromatography using a flame ionization detector and a thermal conductivity detector. The kinetics of volatile product formation was studied during the experiments. Qualitative analysis of the liquid products was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main components of the gaseous products were saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons C1-C4. The optimal process temperature was 550 C. A high yield of volatile products (over 90% by weight) was observed. The thermal degradation of the ethylene-octylene copolymer was also studied using thermogravimetry (using a Netzsch TG 209 F1 thermobalance). The primary degradation zone for the plastic was determined to be above 400 C in an inert argon atmosphere.

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