Catalyst Screening for Conversion of Waste Polyethylentherphtalate Plastic in to Liquid Fuel

Abstract

The world-wide use of PET has gradually increased from time to time. And most of the PET waste is being dumped into the environment instead of recycling. This creates serious environmental pollutions. In thermal degradation process, PET is being decomposed to liquid fuels. Conversion of recycled PET bottle into fuel through effective catalyst has been investigated as a strategy for wastes into useful energy. The main objective of this research was to screen out an effective catalyst for the conversion of PETE into liquid hydrocarbon fuel. In this study, Zinc oxide, ZnO/AC, Calcium Hydroxide (Ca (OH) 2) and Ferric oxide (Fe2o3) catalysts was used at different operation condition of temperature ranging from 400 to 500°C. The optimum liquid fuel productions from PET plastic bottle were obtained. And the significance result of the maximum temperature through the use of catalyst was enhancing to identify the most effective Catalyst with respect to oil yield.  The oil yield increase when the temperature increases within the range of temperature (400°C-500°C). It was observed that gas/liquid fuel yield significantly affected by type of catalyst and temperature. Ca (OH)2 catalyst result higher yield compared the two catalysts. Finally, during the characterization process it was categorized kerosene and crude oil; these oil were obtained by PET and PET with the combination of LDPE & HDPE respectively, and the analysis were under taken from the two types of oil samples and identified Benzene by the use of GC (Gas Chromatography).