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Pt/ITQ-6 zeolite as a bifunctional catalyst for hydrocracking of waste plastics containing polystyrene

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  • Chemical Feedstock Recycling 10
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Abstract

Thermal and catalytic hydrocracking of polystyrene to fuels was compared. The use of a bifunctional (platinum and acidic sites) catalyst such as Pt/Ferrierite not only increases conversion but also selectivity to a wider and more interesting variety of products in the gasoline range (C5–C12). As polymer molecules present steric hindrance to access internal active sites in the catalyst, Pt/ITQ-6 was prepared by delamination to maximize the external surface of the catalyst while keeping its composition and type. Although Pt/ITQ-6 presented lower acidity than Pt/Ferrierite, it was mostly external and, thus, accessible to the reactants. In this way, Pt/ITQ-6 significantly improved activity and selectivity of Pt/Ferrierite. The performance of Pt/ITQ-6 when recycled polystyrene was used as reactant proved this catalyst is very promising for this application, although catalytic activity decreased as a consequence of plastic additives and impurities.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (CTQ2010-17277), the Basque Government (GIC-IT-657-13) and the University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, (UFI11/39) for their financial support, and Gaiker-IK4 for the sample of recycled PS. JAS wants to thank the Basque Government for the Research Grant (BFI-2010-150).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Group of Chemical Technologies for Environmental Sustainability, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, P.O. Box 644, 48080, Bilbao, Spain

    E. G. Fuentes-Ordóñez, J. A. Salbidegoitia, M. P. González-Marcos, J. L. Ayastuy, M. A. Gutiérrez-Ortiz & J. R. González-Velasco

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  1. E. G. Fuentes-Ordóñez
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  2. J. A. Salbidegoitia
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  6. J. R. González-Velasco
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Correspondence to M. P. González-Marcos.

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Fuentes-Ordóñez, E.G., Salbidegoitia, J.A., González-Marcos, M.P. et al. Pt/ITQ-6 zeolite as a bifunctional catalyst for hydrocracking of waste plastics containing polystyrene. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 17, 465–475 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-014-0322-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-014-0322-2

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