Acomb, JC, Wu, C and Williams, PT (2015) Effect of growth temperature and feedstock:catalyst ratio on the production of carbon nanotubes and hydrogen from the pyrolysis of waste plastics. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 113. 231 - 238. ISSN 0165-2370
Abstract
Abstract Carbon nanotubes have been produced from a low density polyethylene (LDPE) feedstock via a two stage pyrolysis process. The temperature of the second stage, where carbon deposition on an iron alumina catalyst occurs (growth temperature), was varied using catalyst temperatures of 700, 800 and 900 °C. An increase in catalyst temperature led to a higher yield of both carbon nanotubes and hydrogen, as the rate of carbon deposition increased. Changing the amount of feedstock relative to the catalyst also had an effect on the production of both carbon nanotubes and hydrogen. As more feedstock is used a larger source of carbon gives rise to a larger amount of carbon nanotubes per gram of catalyst. However, in terms of the percentage of feedstock converted into carbon nanotubes and hydrogen gas, a reduction was observed. Conversion of plastic into carbon nanotubes was 29.1 wt.% when 0.5 g LDPE was used, but reduced to 13.1 wt.% with 1.25 g LDPE. This is because the catalyst activity reduces as it becomes overloaded, and much of the hydrocarbon gases are left unreacted. This gives an economic playoff between large conversion of plastics into carbon nanotubes and hydrogen gas, and large yields of carbon nanotubes per gram of catalyst used.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | (c) 2015, Elsevier. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Plastics; Carbon nanotubes; Catalyst; Hydrogen |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Chemical & Process Engineering (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 26 Jun 2015 13:03 |
Last Modified: | 12 Mar 2016 20:30 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2015.01.012 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.jaap.2015.01.012 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:85212 |