In-situ catalytic copyrolysis of cellulose and polypropylene over desilicated ZSM-5

• Published in: Catalysis today 2017-09, Vol.293-294, p.151-158
• Main Authors: Hong, Yeojin, Lee, Yejin, Rezaei, Pouya Sirous, Kim, Beom Sik, Jeon, Jong-Ki, Jae, Jungho, Jung, Sang-Chul, Kim, Sang Chai, Park, Young-Kwon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aromatic hydrocarbon; Cellulose; Copyrolysis; Desilicated ZSM-5; Polypropylene
• ISSN: 0920-5861; 1873-4308
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2016.11.045

[Display omitted] •Catalytic copyrolysis of cellulose and polypropylene was performed.•HZSM-5, desilicated HZSM-5, and Al-SBA-15 were used for the catalytic copyrolysis.•Desilicated HZSM-5 enhanced aromatic hydrocarbons due to its mesoporosity. The catalytic pyrolysis of biomass using zeolites as catalysts is a promising technique for the production of renewable chemicals and fuels. On the other hand, the low effective hydrogen to carbon ratio of biomass results in a hydrogen-deficient hydrocarbon pool inside the catalyst and in turn the formation of carbonaceous deposits, which causes catalyst deactivation. The catalytic copyrolysis of cellulose and polypropylene was conducted using ZSM-5, desilicated ZSM-5, and Al-SBA-15. The co-feeding of polypropylene with cellulose led to the enhanced formation of aromatic hydrocarbons due to the increased hydrogen content of feedstock and the interaction between the cellulose-derived furans and olefins obtained from polypropylene. Microporous zeolites resulted in the production of more aromatic hydrocarbons compared to mesoporous Al-SBA-15. In addition, desilicated ZSM-5 showed better catalytic performance than the parent ZSM-5 due to the presence of larger channels that facilitate the diffusion of compounds with a wider range of molecular sizes.