ISSN:
0032-3888
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Chemical Engineering
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Physics
Notes:
Pyrolysis of polymer wastes appears to be a suitable means of dealing with an increasingly important environmental problem. To provide background on the pyrolytic behavior of wastes, model mixtures of polyethylene and polystyrene have been pyrolyzed in various gas phases including nitrogen and carbon monoxide, at atmospheric and at reduced pressures and at temperatures from about 300-900°C. When the pyrolyzing temperature is attained by gradual heating, and when pyrolysis occurs at pressures in excess of about 200 torr, the process occurs as if each component were present alone - that is, no evidence for component interaction was noted. In these cases, the known mechanisms for pyrolysis of the pure polymers can be applied to the behavior of mixtures. Complicating effects due to interactions between the starting polymers, or among the pyrolysis products, were observed in low pressure pyrolysis (≲20 torr); further, it was shown that the balance of pyrolysis products depends on rates of attaining the pyrolyzing temperature, more rapid rates favoring the production of carbon-rich solid residues of possible use as carbon blacks. More detailed understanding of pyrolytic processes in polymer mixtures is needed to permit selection of conditions producing the optimum balance of useful products.
Additional Material:
7 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pen.760180907
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