Continuous process design of the microwave chemical recycling of waste plastics using microwave-absorbing heating elements.

ABSTRACT: Conventional pyrolysis methods to chemically recycle plastic waste require significant energy input owing to inefficient energy transfer from the heat sources to plastics and the generation of excess CO₂. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to develop alternative methods for the chemical recycling of waste plastics to limit global warming. In this study, the use of microwaves (MWs) as an efficient energy source for pyrolysis and chemical recycling. However, because plastic is transparent to MW energy, a method that utilizes carbon materials as MW-absorbing heating elements (MWAHEs) was developed. This method directly converted high-density polyethylene (HDPE) into light chemicals in up to 94% yield with 45% ethylene selectivity. A two-stage pyrolysis system incorporating MWAHE-

SUBMITTER: Kondo H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11415347 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature