Catalytic co-pyrolysis of torrefied poplar wood and high-density polyethylene over hierarchical HZSM-5 for mono-aromatics production

The catalytic co-pyrolysis of torrefied poplar wood sawdust (TPW) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was investigated over hierarchical HZSM-5. Compared with raw PW/HDPE, the bio-oil yield from co-pyrolysis of TPW/HDPE decreased gradually while the quality of bio-oil was upgraded. With increasing torrefaction temperature from 220 to 280 degrees C, the amounts of acids, furans, and anhydrosugars in bio-oil were significantly reduced due to the removal of hemicellulose, whereas the production of phenols and alkenes were improved due to the enhanced hydrogen transfer reaction. In the catalytic co-pyrolysis, increasing torrefaction temperature caused an enhanced production of mono-aromatics as well as the selectivity of BTX (benzene, toluene, and xylene). Nevertheless, severe torrefaction (280 degrees C) lead to a rapid reduction of aromatic yield and selectivity due to the loss of cellulose. Compared to parent HZSM-5, hierarchical HZSM-5 treated with alkaline concentration (0.2-0.3 mol/L) favored the formation of mono aromatics at the expense of polyaromatics. The maximum mono-aromatics yield of 71.75% was obtained during catalytic co-pyrolysis of 260-TPW/HDPE over 0.3-HZSM-5. The present work suggests that torrefaction pretreatment followed by the catalysis of hierarchical HZSM-5 is an efficient way to promote the production of valuable mono-aromatic hydrocarbons from biomass and plastic wastes. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.