Analysis of Products Generated from the Thermal and Catalytic Degradation of Pure and Waste Polyolefins using Py-GC/MS

The possibility of transforming waste plastics into valuable hydrocarbons via catalytic cracking and reforming is attracting increasing interest. Pyrolysis coupled with Gas Chromatographic separation and Mass Spectrometry detection (Py-GC/MS) has been used in this work to study the product selectivity of various catalysts in the conversion of pure and residual polyethylene samples into hydrocarbon products. Five acid solids of comparable aluminium contents but different textural and acid properties were tested as catalysts, including three zeolites (standard ZSM-5, nanocrystalline n-ZSM-5 and Beta) and two mesostructured solids (Al-MCM-41 and Al-SBA-15). Thermal cracking of the pure and residual polymers generated a similar range of products to each other, with a high proportion of linear paraffins and olefins of varying lengths. The presence of zeolitic materials resulted in complete elimination of heavy linear products, an increase in the light hydrocarbon fraction and a marked selectivity towards the formation of single-ring aromatic species, particularly benzene, toluene and xylene. Aromatic formation was particularly notable with the small crystal size n-ZSM-5 (aromatic selectivity up to 53.9%) and less marked in the case of standard ZSM-5 (up to 36.4%) and Beta zeolite (up to 35.0%). Mesostructured catalysts like Al-MCM-41 and Al-SBA-15 favoured the production of light C₂–C₅ hydrocarbons (up to 57.9%) while the formation of aromatic products was significantly lower than with zeolitic materials. The paper examines the extent and the causes for this product selectivity and discusses its connection with the acid and textural properties of each catalyst. It was also observed that, under the experimental conditions employed, the products generated were not significantly affected by the nature and origin of the polymers employed.     

Carbon materials-catalyzed hydroliquefaction of flame-retardant plastics in organic solvents

Flame-retardant plastics, such as desktop and laptop personal computer bodies, could be completely liquefied by carbon materials-catalyzed hydroliquefaction in tetralin without using H₂ as a hydrogen source. Active carbons with larger surface areas (1450–3450 m²/g) acted as superior catalysts in transferring tetralin hydrogens to plastics. On the other hand, carbon blacks and fullerene-rich soot were less active catalysts. Graphite and mesocarbon microbeads did not show any catalytic effects. Benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene were obtained as recyclable hydrocarbons; their total amounts varied from 4 wt% to 12 wt% depending on the types of plastics and the carbon materials used. Organic bromides such as polybromodioxins were not contained in the gases and oils of the product. Received: July 19, 2000 / Accepted: September 17, 2000     

Separation of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene waste plastics by froth flotation combined with ammonia pretreatment

The objective of this research is flotation separation of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) waste plastics combined with ammonia pretreatment. The PC and ABS plastics show similar hydrophobicity, and ammonia treatment changes selectively floatability of PC plastic while ABS is insensitive to ammonia treatment. The contact angle measurement indicates the dropping of flotation recovery of PC is ascribed to a decline of contact angle. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrates reactions occur on PC surface, which makes PC surface more hydrophilic. Separation of PC and ABS waste plastics was conducted based on the flotation behavior of single plastic. At different temperatures, PC and ABS mixtures were separated efficiently through froth flotation with ammonia pretreatment for different time (13 min at 23 °C, 18 min at 18 °C and 30 min at 23 °C). For both PC and ABS, the purity and recovery is more than 95.31% and 95.35%, respectively; the purity of PC and ABS is up to 99.72% and 99.23%, respectively. PC and ABS mixtures with different particle sizes were separated effectively, implying that ammonia treatment possesses superior applicability.     

Processing and Physical Properties of Plastics Made from Soy Protein Polyester Blends

Blending soy protein with polyesters using a polyvinyllactam as a compatibilizer successfully made soy protein-based plastics. The polyesters used to produce blends included polycaprolactone (PCL) and Biomax (a commercial biodegradable polyester). The blends were processed by compounding extrusion and injection molding. Blends containing soy protein/Biomax-poly(vinyl alcohol) had tensile strengths ranging from 16–22 MPa, with samples containing larger percentages of the synthetic polymer exhibiting greater strengths. Blends made from soy protein, Biomax, and PCL had tensile strengths ranging from 27–33 MPa. All the blends had high Young's moduli but demonstrated brittle characteristics as evident from their low elongations at break, ranging from 1.8–3.1%. Plastics made from soy protein/polyester blends exhibited low water absorption and had good stability under ambient conditions relative to the plastics made from soy protein alone. Blends made from soy protein flour produced plastics with the lowest water absorption.     

废弃热固塑料回收利用对策研究

随着电子产品、汽车报废高峰期的到来，作为其基本材料的热固性塑料的废弃量增长迅速。通过对国内外废弃热固塑料资源化技术进行分析，可以发现目前废弃热固塑料资源化存在的主要问题是收集困难，分类辨识技术低。由于废弃热固塑料的来源存在明显差异，在其回收体系中分别采用P-R模式、D-R模式和P-C-R模式，对不同来源的废弃热固塑料进行回收；并通过制定经济激励措施，细化并强制执行塑料分类标识标准，规范再生行业，加快废弃塑料分类辨识技术研发等对策来促进废弃热固塑料的资源化。     

我国一次性塑料污染管理对策研究

一次性塑料垃圾对生态环境和人体健康的危害已经引起国际社会的广泛关注,加强一次性塑料的管理正逐步成为人类的共识,也是我国塑料生产和使用过程中面临的重要现实问题.通过对世界各国和地区一次性塑料管理措施进行系统梳理,归纳出目前出台的相关政策措施主要有征税、自愿协议、全部或部分禁止、禁令和征税并行4类.对我国一次性塑料管理现状进行总结发现,我国当前针对一次性塑料的管理政策存在分散性以及滞后性等问题,尚未达到系统化.借鉴国际经验,在我国现存制度的基础上,针对一次性塑料制品的生产、使用和回收处理的全生命周期过程,提出完善我国一次性塑料污染的管理对策:①源头管理措施包括分阶段、分领域限制和禁止使用一次性塑料,使用税收等经济工具将一次性塑料垃圾外部成本内部化,探索替代品实现一次性塑料使用减量化;②使用过程的管理主要是通过提高一次性塑料的使用次数从而达到减量化使用的目的;③末端管理措施包括完善一次性塑料垃圾产生者责任制,提高垃圾回收中一次性塑料分拣效率和加快技术创新、促进再生利用等;④加强公众参与,提高公众减少使用一次性塑料制品的环境意识,这也是一次性塑料全生命周期管理体系的重要组成部分.      

高性能聚醚醚酮紫外光加速老化行为研究

目的 研究特种工程塑料聚醚醚酮(PEEK)在紫外光照射实验室加速条件下的老化行为。方法 对PEEK塑料采取紫外线光老化方式进行试验,对老化前后的样品进行外观变化、力学性能、热性能、微观结构表征与分析,明确紫外环境因素对材料的性能影响,进而确定PEEK塑料在紫外光条件下的老化行为。结果 随着紫外光老化时间的增加,PEEK样品表面变黄,颜色加深,出现鼓包与裂纹等宏观与微观损伤。样品内部力学性能、热性能、红外特征吸收峰、元素含量与价态没有明显变化,样品表面热性能下降,傅里叶变换衰减全反射红外光谱(ATR-FTIR)特征吸收峰变化明显。结论 PEEK塑料表面对紫外光比较敏感,在紫外光的照射下容易发生表层的分解,短时间内不会引起材料整体热性能及力学性能的明显变化。     

废PE塑料溶剂法制氧化聚乙烯蜡

研究了在不同溶剂中以聚乙烯废塑料制高附加值氧化聚乙烯蜡产品的方法,测定了所得产物的分子量、酸值、软化点,并用IR考察了含氧基团。结果表明,溶剂A体系中能制备出颜色、分子量、酸值合格的低分子量氧化聚乙烯蜡,产品软化点在101～110℃,相对分子质量为1500,3000,酸值是12。以废塑料包装为原料,氧气做氧化剂下制得的氧化聚乙烯蜡的酸值最高。     

废弃塑料生产涂料的工艺研究

本文主要介绍以废弃塑料为原料生产涂料的工艺技术，使整个城市生活垃圾的处理跃上一个新台阶，达到生活垃圾无害化、资源化的环保目标。     

Microtox assay to determine the toxicity of degradation products from degradable plastics

Six types of starch-polyethylene degradable plastics were evaluated for the release of water-soluble toxic compounds under accelerated degradation conditions. A plastic strip (2.5×15.2 cm) was placed in a 250-ml Erlenmeyer flask with 100 ml of ASTM type I water with or without trace element solutions and shaken at 65°C and 110 rpm for 20 weeks in replicates of two. High temperature was used to accelerate the oxidative degradation of polyethylene. Plastic degradation was measured by loss of tensile strength, percentage elongation, strain energy, and weight-average molecular weight. The most rapid period of polyethylene thermal degradation was complete for most materials by day 28. Ten-milliliter aqueous samples were removed from each flask at days 1, 7, 28, 56, 84, and 140 (water volumes were maintained at 100 ml with fresh type I water), filtered through glass filters, then evaluated by using the Microtox Toxicity Analyzer (Microbics Corporation, Carlsbad, CA). No water-soluble toxic compounds were detected during the period of rapid film degradation. Toxicity was observed at day 28 for one film and at day 84 for all films, which could possibly correlate with the release of small oxidative compounds such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Because of the sensitivity of this assay, positive results must be confirmed by otherin vitro studies.Journal Paper No. J-14851 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Projects No. 2889 and 0178.