Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering (Dec 2024)
Pioneering bio-oil extraction: The role of transition metal oxide zeolite catalysts in co-pyrolyzing palm fronds and high-density polyethylene
Abstract
The main objective of this research is to improve the quality of bio-oil from combusting palm fronds by integrating HDPE plastic waste through a co-pyrolysis process using metal oxides (copper, zinc, iron, and cobalt) based on mordenite (MOR) zeolite. Catalyst characterization revealed alterations in physisorption properties and acidity post-metal oxide addition. Fe2O3/MOR exhibits notable gasoline selectivity (36.81 %), while CoO/MOR enhances kerosene (29.05 %) and diesel (29.95 %) fractions. Both catalysts demonstrate superior activity, yielding fuel compounds with high heating values (HHV) (30.91 MJ/kg and 31.25 MJ/kg, respectively). This novel approach holds promise for sustainable bio-oil production with tailored fuel properties.