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Taguchi method optimization of wax production from pyrolysis of waste polypropylene

A green nanotechnology approach

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Abstract

Present research deals with the conversion of waste commodity plastics to valuable commercial product in the form of wax by pyrolysis. Optimization of both processes yield and produced wax quality was performed by means of a statistical tool originally proposed by G. Taguchi, using temperature, catalyst, carrier gas, and dwell time as the parameters. The obtained wax was characterized by Raman spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Yield of wax was found to be maximum when the parameters were 600 °C, Fe catalyst, nitrogen gas atmosphere, and 15 min time. However, stability of the wax was found to be optimum at 700 °C. Calorific value of the wax thus obtained was ~43 MJ kg−1, which supports its suitability as fuels like other petroleum products.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) for financial support. We are also thankful to Mr. Mukeshchand Thakur for Art works in the paper and Mr. Mauro Povia for carrying out XRD analysis available as Supplementary Information. Also, authors are indebted to Italian institute of technology for providing the characterization facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. N. S. N. Research Centre for Nanotechnology & Bionanotechnology, Ambernath (W), Maharashtra, India

    Neeraj Mishra, Sunil Pandey, Madhuri Sharon & Maheshwar Sharon

  2. Department of Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy

    Niranjan Patra & Marco Salerno

Authors
  1. Neeraj Mishra
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  2. Niranjan Patra
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  3. Sunil Pandey
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  4. Marco Salerno
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  5. Madhuri Sharon
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  6. Maheshwar Sharon
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Correspondence to Neeraj Mishra.

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Mishra, N., Patra, N., Pandey, S. et al. Taguchi method optimization of wax production from pyrolysis of waste polypropylene. J Therm Anal Calorim 117, 885–892 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-014-3793-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-014-3793-4

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