Thermogravimetric analysis of rice husk and low-density polyethylene co-pyrolysis: kinetic and thermodynamic parameters

The purpose of this study is to examine how co-pyrolysis of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and rice husk is impacted by LDPE. It also looks into the physicochemical characteristics, thermal behavior, and kinetic parameters of these materials. To understand the thermal behavior through TGA, rice husk and LDPE blends in the ratios of LDPE: RH (50:50), LDPE: RH (25:75), and LDPE: RH (75:25) were prepared and tested. These tests were carried out in the presence of a nitrogen environment at a flow rate of 20 ml/min with a different heating rate of 10 to 40 °C/min from 30 to 600 °C.In this paper, activation energy (E_a) was measured using the integral method (coats and Redfern) and two distinct iso-conversional approaches are Flynn wall Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger Akahira Sunose (KAS). According to this study, the E_a values during co-pyrolysis varied with the conversion points, demonstrating the complex nature of the materials that resulted from the process. Moreover, it can be said that the assessment of low-density polyethylene in conjunction with rice husk led to noteworthy changes in thermos kinetic behaviors. In the meantime, the calculated average activation energy is, in turn, 110-117, 101-102, and 102-107 kJ/mol. In this study, we analyze the thermodynamic parameters, including enthalpy, Gibbs free energy, and entropy, and also pyrolysis performance index was thoroughly explored to understand the co-pyrolysis process of rice husk and plastic waste. To develop efficient reactors for continuous operation regardless of feedstock composition, it was necessary to establish the significance of blending biomass with plastics in terms of augmented carbon conversion, volatiles, and reaction rate.