FURI | Fall 2024

Pyrolysis of Waste Plastics Mixed with ZSM-5 Catalyst

The amount of plastic that is not recycled currently stands at 91%. If action is not taken, plastic degradation can harm the environment releasing chemicals such as cadmium and lead which cause threats to humanity and global warming.

One way to prevent plastic degradation is to convert plastics to energy through the pyrolysis process. However, sometimes pyrolysis can be cost-inefficient, and by releasing CO2 and CO emissions into the environment, it can cause thread as well. Using the ZSM-5 catalyst, this research seeks to optimize pyrolysis for plastic recycling with the aim of reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and improving efficiency.