A semi-flow reactor design diverts catalytic hydrogenolysis of polyolefins to metastable kinetic products
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Wang, Yi-Yu↗
Engineering topics
Peters, Baron
Publications and source records attributed to Peters, Baron.
Quantifying synergy for mixed end-scission and random-scission catalysts in polymer upcycling
Given sufficient end-scission catalyst, random scission causes a proliferation of new chain ends and thereby accelerates the overall depolymerization progress.
Chemistry↗
Bifunctional tandem catalytic upcycling of polyethylene to surfactant-range alkylaromatics
Catalytic conversion of waste polyolefins to value-added alkylaromatics could contribute to carbon recycling. Compared with tandem hydrogenolysis/aromatization of polyethylene (PE) catalyzed by Pt/γ-Al 2 O 3 at 280°C, both a 5-fold enhancement in the rate of C–C bond scission and a doubling of the molar yield of alkylaromatics were achieved using a more acidic Pt/F-Al 2 O 3 catalyst instead. Bifunctional (metal/acid) catalysts also generate alkylaromatic products with lower average carbon numbers (ca. C 20 ), similar to conventional anionic surfactants. Because physical mixtures of weakly acidic Pt/γ-Al 2 O 3 or non-acidic Pt/SiO 2 with strongly Brønsted acidic Cl-Al 2 O 3 or F-Al 2 O 3 are also effective, the tandem reaction does not require nanoscale intimacy between metal and acid active sites. Kinetic studies using triacontane (norm-C 30 H 62 ) as a model for PE show that the Pt-catalyzed dehydrogenation/hydrogenation reactions are quasi-equilibrated, while the acid-catalyzed C–C bond scission and skeletal transformations (isomerization and cyclization) determine the overall rates of depolymerization and aromatic formation.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Mass transfer in catalytic depolymerization: External effectiveness factors and serendipitous processivity in stagnant and stirred melts
Several heterogeneous catalysts are being developed to recycle plastics. Most operate in viscous polymer melts, where external mass transfer effects could limit the supply of co-reactants to active sites. External mass transfer can also impede the diffusion of long chain products away from the catalyst after each cut. Product egress limitations could potentially confer unintentional processivity to catalyst operation, i.e. a tendency for the catalyst to repeatedly cut the same chain after an initial encounter. We formulate reaction–diffusion equations to quantify mass transfer effects on the co-reactant transport to the catalyst and the degree of serendipitous processivity. Results are developed for catalysts in stagnant or stirred melts, with simple expressions involving Damkohler, Peclet, and Sherwood numbers, i.e. dimensionless combinations of rate constants, catalyst particle size, polymer diffusivities, and shear rates (where applicable). In conclusion, we estimate the impact of these effects for a spherical core–shell catalyst.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗