The Pyrolysis of Plastic Wastes Containing Oxygen

This paper investigates the pyrolysis of five different oxygen-containing plastic wastes and evaluates the possibility of utilizing such plastics in transportation fuel production. Pyrolysis runs were performed in a batch reactor and the plastic waste types include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyoxymethylene (POM), polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), and polyphenyl ether (PPE). Liquid products from PC, PVB, and PPE were further processed by atmospheric distillation to extract the 20-200 °C fractions. These fractions were analyzed by GC-MS to identify major compounds. PET and POM did not result in liquid products. Instead, solid deposits formed in the system, causing potential operational instability. Based on the results, three oxygen-containing plastic types were identified as promising candidates in liquid fuel production.