Comparative studies on catalytic and non-catalytic co-gasification of rubber seed shell and high density polyethylene mixtures

• Published in: Journal of cleaner production Vol. 70; pp. 303 - 314
• Main Authors: Chin, Bridgid Lai Fui, Yusup, Suzana, Al Shoaibi, Ahmed, Kannan, Pravin, Srinivasakannan, Chandrasekar, Sulaiman, Shaharin Anwar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Catalytic; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Environment and sustainable development; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; High density polyethylene; Kinetic; Non-isothermal; Pollution; Rubber seed shells; Thermogravimetrical analysis; Catalytic; Non-isothermal; Rubber seed shells; Thermogravimetrical analysis; Kinetic; High density polyethylene; Isothermal condition; Pollution prevention; High density ethylene polymer; Thermogravimetry; Sustainable development; Shell; Gasification; Catalysis; Kinetics; Rubber; Comparative study; Environmental protection
• ISSN: 0959-6526; 1879-1786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.02.039

The thermal degradation behavior of rubber seed shell, high density polyethylene waste, and the binary mixtures of high density polyethylene and rubber seed shell (0.2:0.8 weight ratio) are compared in pyrolysis, gasification, and catalytic gasification process at different heating rate of 10, 20, 30 and 50 K min−1 in temperature range of 323–1173 K using thermogravimetric analysis equipment. It is observed that there are one, two, and three stages of decomposition occurring in high density polyethylene, rubber seed shell, and the binary mixtures respectively regardless of the process involved. The activation energies, EA and pre-exponential factor, A are generated using one step integral method based on first order rate of reaction. Besides that, the synergistic effect on the binary mixtures is also investigated for the three different processes involved. It is found that the EA and A values for the binary mixtures are lower than the pure high density polyethylene but comparable to pure rubber seed shell regardless of the processes involved. In addition, it is also observed that the EA and A values are slightly lower when catalyst is added in the binary mixtures compared to the absence of catalyst in the gasification process. •Investigation of thermal degradation behavior of biomass, plastic and their mixture.•Kinetic analysis of these samples is generated using one step integral method.•Synergistic effect of thermal degradation of the mixture is evaluated.