Acidic Influence in Conversion of Hospital Plastic Waste into Liquid Fuel using Kaolin Base-supported Catalysts

Abstract

Assessing acidic influence in conversion of hospital plastic waste into liquid fuel with kaolin base supported catalysts was carried out using samples collected from a tertiary University teaching Hospital Sokoto, which encompassed Drip bags (Linear low density polyethylene LLDPE), Hand gloves (Polyethylene terephthalate PET) and Urine bags (Polyureathane PU). Uncatalyzed pyrolysis was first carried out using thermal cracking only at 300, 350, and 400⁰C. Catalyzed pyrolysis was also carried out using three different active catalyst mounted on same support and equal catalytic ratio of active catalyst to support. CuO/Kaolin-SO₄, FeO/Kaolin-SO₄ and CaO/Kaolin-SO₄. The liquid fuel obtained from uncanalyzed and catalyzed pyrolysis of the sample were all subjected to GCMS and FTIR analysis. Uncatalyzed pyrolysis was first carried out using thermal cracking only at 300, 350, and 4000C. Catalyzed pyrolysis was also conducted using three different active catalyst mounted on same support and equal catalytic ratio of active catalyst to support. Fe₂O₃/Kaolin-SO₄ (CAT.D), CuO/Kaolin-SO₄ (CAT.E), and CaO/Kaolin-SO₄ (CAT.F). The catalytic activities of all the three synthesized catalysts were successfully tested in the conversion of hospital plastic waste in to liquid fuel. However the conversion using (CAT.D) was found to be more promising and selective to liquid fraction then followed by CAT. E and F. Therefore, the results shows that CAT.D has lower cocking tendency that result to high liquid than the other catalysts. The FTIR and GC/MS analysis revealed that the chemical composition and carbon number distribution of the liquid fraction which indicate the presence of paraffinic, naphthenic and olefins hydrocarbons as the dominant component in the liquid fraction obtained, and high amount of lower hydrocarbon range was also obtained using CAT.D. Thus, sulphated kaolin catalyst (CAT.D) was found to be better in modifying the product than CAT.E and F.