Mesoporous HZSM-5 catalysts for the conversion of waste plastics to liquid fuels

Three micro-mesoporous HZSM-5 catalysts were synthesized using three different mesoporous templates and studied for the conversion of a model municipal waste plastic mixture to produce liquid fuels of high value. For the comparison, the conversion of an actual waste plastic mixture and HDPE was also studied. The experiments were performed in a batch stirred reactor at three reaction temperatures (350, 375, and 400 degrees C) and at fixed cold H-2 pressure (20 bar), reaction time (60 min), and plastic to catalyst ratio (20:1 by wt.). The micro-mesoporous catalysts produced better activity and selectivity than their parent HZSM-5 catalyst. The catalyst, prepared by combining two different templates, was found to be the most favorable catalyst offering 67.1% liquid yield at 400 degrees C with actual waste plastic. The best performing catalyst has shown the prospects for commercial applications.

Automated summary

This study successfully converted waste plastic into high-value liquid fuels using micro-mesoporous HZSM-5 catalysts, and the best performing catalyst showed great potential for commercial applications.