Alumina and Tungstophosphoric Acid Loaded Mesoporous Catalysts for the Polyethylene Degradation Reaction

Polyethylene degradation over alumina and tungstophosphoric acid (TPA) containing ordered mesoporous catalysts was studied in a semibatch reactor. In the noncatalytic degradation reaction, selectivity of C3 and C4 hydrocarbons was quite high. However, significant ethylene and C4 hydrocarbon selectivity was observed in the catalytic degradation reaction depending on the type of catalyst used. Liquid product distribution in the noncatalytic degradation reaction indicated the presence of hydrocarbons, being greater than C18. In the catalytic degradation, chemical composition of the liquid product was hydrocarbons in the range of C5–C14. With an increase in the TPA loading, the amount of lighter hydrocarbons in the carbon number range of C5–C12 was slightly increased due to a decrease in the catalysts’ surface area with loading. Both catalysts are materials with promising catalytic properties for the production of liquid feedstocks from polymeric wastes.