| Abstract |
Non-thermal catalytic plasma has unfolded novel routes for a circular economy, providing a powerful cost-effective alternative to produce valued-added fuels from plastic waste. In this work, non-thermal plasma-assisted deconstruction of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) over a ZSM-5 catalyst with different morphologies, i.e., microspheres and nanoparticles, is reported. Deconstruction of HDPE over thermal routes is presented to benchmark the plasma pathways. Experimental data revealed that the highest yield/selectivity toward hydrogen and light hydrocarbons such as methane, ethylene, acetylene, and ethane was obtained through the plasma route over the hollow ZSM-5 microspheres. The spherical morphology helps in securing better stability compared to that of the ZSM-5 nanoparticles. We observed the demarcation of two different regimes resulting from the products formed. In the plasma regime (low plasma power), the ethylene monomer is prevalent while hydrogen is dominant when employing high plasma power (endothermic zone). These findings provide a novel insight into the chemical upcycling of HDPE to value-added products to potentially help address the current global plastic contamination in an efficient and sustainable way. |
