Effects of temperature zones on pyrolysis products of mixed plastic waste

Five of the most prevalent plastics in the Chinese market (polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high-density polyethylene (PE), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer, and polystyrene (PS)) were mixed to form waste plastic samples, which were then converted into renewable fuels via stepwise pyrolysis conducted up to a temperature of 500 degrees C. The pyrolysis behavior and product distribution were elucidated at different temperature intervals. The pyrolysis products tended to be highly variable among different temperature intervals. The carbon chain width of plastic-derived oil (PDO) increased significantly from 450 to 500 degrees C, and C12 became more dominant than C8 with increasing temperature. The oil derived from the pyrolysis of waste plastic samples containing PVC was dechlorinated at 460 degrees C. Products with carbon chain lengths from C1 to C3 were widely distributed in the non-condensable gas, and alkylation trends were observed for PP/PVC/PE/ABS/PS blends as the temperature interval increased.