Catalytic Pyrolysis of Seawater Aged Polypropylene Over HZSM-5, HY, and Al-MCM-41.

The effect of seawater aging on the thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of polypropylene (PP) was investigated using a thermogravimetric analyzer and pyrolyzer-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Although the surface properties of PP were of the oxidized form by seawater aging, the decomposition temperature and non-catalytic pyrolysis products of PP were relatively unchanged largely due to seawater aging. The catalytic pyrolysis of seawater-aged PP over all the catalysts produced smaller amounts of aromatic hydrocarbons than that of fresh PP due to catalyst poisoning caused by the residual inorganics. Among the catalysts, microporous HZSM-5 (SiO₂/Al₂O₃:23) produced the largest amount of aromatic hydrocarbons followed in order by microporous HY(30) and nanoporous Al-MCM-41(20) from seawater-aged PP due to the high acidity and appropriate pore size for the generation of aromatic hydrocarbons.