Effect of sodium zeolite mixed metal oxide catalysts on catalytic conversion of mixed-density plastic into carbon nanotubes and hydrogen fuel

doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2024.09.030

Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 78 ›› Issue (2): 196-204.DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2024.09.030

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Effect of sodium zeolite mixed metal oxide catalysts on catalytic conversion of mixed-density plastic into carbon nanotubes and hydrogen fuel

Farzin Sheikh¹, Hammad Hussain², Muhammad Yasin Naz¹, Bilal Shoukat¹, Yasin Khan³, Muhammad Shoaib⁴

1. Department of Physics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan;
2. Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan;
3. Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
4. Center for Green Innovation, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China

Received:2024-04-16 Revised:2024-09-10 Accepted:2024-09-14 Online:2024-11-17 Published:2025-02-08
Supported by:
This work was supported by the Researchers Supporting Project (RSPD2025R985), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Effect of sodium zeolite mixed metal oxide catalysts on catalytic conversion of mixed-density plastic into carbon nanotubes and hydrogen fuel

Farzin Sheikh¹, Hammad Hussain², Muhammad Yasin Naz¹, Bilal Shoukat¹, Yasin Khan³, Muhammad Shoaib⁴

1. Department of Physics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan;
2. Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan;
3. Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
4. Center for Green Innovation, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China

通讯作者: Muhammad Yasin Naz,E-mail:yasin603@yahoo.com
基金资助:
This work was supported by the Researchers Supporting Project (RSPD2025R985), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Abstract: A combination of experimental and statistical analysis presents a comprehensive understanding of the microwave pyrolysis technique for catalytic deconstruction of mixed-density plastics. By optimizing the process parameters and catalyst selection, it is possible to maximize the production of valuable solid and energy products, contributing to sustainable waste management. In this work, different mixed-density plastics were pyrolyzed with different catalysts and residence times to yield liquid fuel, syngas, and structured carbon residue. The effect of inputs on the product type, yield and composition was statistically evaluated using ANOVA, which showed an F value of 4.108 and a p-value of 0.098 (>1.00). FTIR and GC-MS revealed that the oil product consisted of C₁₃₊ fractions in the form of alkanes, alkenes, and aromatics. The microscopic analysis of the residue confirmed the formation of carbon nanotubes along with other amorphous products. The presence of impurities in the solid product was further analyzed through XRD analysis. The pyrolytic liquid fuel revealed the presence of conjugated aromatic structure and carbonyl group in their concentration. This research demonstrated that converting mixed-density plastics using sodium zeolite, aluminum oxide, and nickel oxide catalysts yields 84% valuable products, confirming wasted plastics as a lucrative energy feedstock for producing hydrogen and high-value carbon compounds.

Key words: Zeolite, Pyrolysis, Hydrogen production, Hydrocarbons, Mixed-density plastics

摘要： A combination of experimental and statistical analysis presents a comprehensive understanding of the microwave pyrolysis technique for catalytic deconstruction of mixed-density plastics. By optimizing the process parameters and catalyst selection, it is possible to maximize the production of valuable solid and energy products, contributing to sustainable waste management. In this work, different mixed-density plastics were pyrolyzed with different catalysts and residence times to yield liquid fuel, syngas, and structured carbon residue. The effect of inputs on the product type, yield and composition was statistically evaluated using ANOVA, which showed an F value of 4.108 and a p-value of 0.098 (>1.00). FTIR and GC-MS revealed that the oil product consisted of C₁₃₊ fractions in the form of alkanes, alkenes, and aromatics. The microscopic analysis of the residue confirmed the formation of carbon nanotubes along with other amorphous products. The presence of impurities in the solid product was further analyzed through XRD analysis. The pyrolytic liquid fuel revealed the presence of conjugated aromatic structure and carbonyl group in their concentration. This research demonstrated that converting mixed-density plastics using sodium zeolite, aluminum oxide, and nickel oxide catalysts yields 84% valuable products, confirming wasted plastics as a lucrative energy feedstock for producing hydrogen and high-value carbon compounds.

关键词: Zeolite, Pyrolysis, Hydrogen production, Hydrocarbons, Mixed-density plastics

Farzin Sheikh, Hammad Hussain, Muhammad Yasin Naz, Bilal Shoukat, Yasin Khan, Muhammad Shoaib. Effect of sodium zeolite mixed metal oxide catalysts on catalytic conversion of mixed-density plastic into carbon nanotubes and hydrogen fuel[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2025, 78(2): 196-204.

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Effect of sodium zeolite mixed metal oxide catalysts on catalytic conversion of mixed-density plastic into carbon nanotubes and hydrogen fuel

Effect of sodium zeolite mixed metal oxide catalysts on catalytic conversion of mixed-density plastic into carbon nanotubes and hydrogen fuel

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