Kinetic analysis for the catalytic pyrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate over cost effective natural catalysts

In the current research, thermal and catalytic thermogravimetric (TG) analysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) over natural zeolite (NZ), olivine, bentonite, HZSM-5, and HAl-MCM-41 were investigated using a TG analyzer and model-free kinetic analysis. Catalytic TG analysis of PET was carried out at multi-heating rates, 10, 20, 30, and 40 °C/min, under nitrogen atmosphere. Apparent activation energy (Ea) values for the thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of PET were calculated using Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method. Although natural catalysts, NZ, olivine, and bentonite, could not lead the higher PET decomposition efficiency than synthetic zeolites, HZSM-5 and HAl-MCM-41, maximum decomposition temperatures on the differ-ential TG (DTG) curves for the catalytic pyrolysis of PET, 436 °C over olivine, 435 °C over bentonite, and 434 °C over NZ, at 10 °C/min, were definitely lower than non-catalytic pyrolysis. Calculated Ea values for the catalytic pyrolysis of PET over natural catalysts, 177 kJ/mol over olivine, 168 kJ/mol over bentonite, and 171 kJ/mol over NZ, were also not lower than those over synthetic zeolites, however, those were also much lower than the thermal decomposition, suggesting their feasibility as the proper and cost-effective catalysts on the pyrolysis of PET.