A Mini-review on Development for the Direct Catalytic Hydroconversion of Polypropylene to Liquid and Gaseous Hydrocarbons for Fuels and Chemicals
摘要
Advances in technology have resulted in the vast production of low-cost plastics with tailored properties for many applications in our daily lives. However, the single-use culture coupled with the slow degradation of plastic waste had resulted in the rapid generation of its waste. Limited landfills and traditional incineration methods that attributes to carbon emissions had propelled many researchers to source for alternative chemical upcycling methods to manage plastic waste while enhancing resource recovery. Catalytic hydroconversion which involves the valorisation of plastic to low emission fuels or chemicals with selectivity and lower energy demand had garnered much interest. Specifically, polypropylene which is a major source of plastic waste due to its utilization in numerous products will be focused for this mini review. The current progresses in the catalytic hydroconversion reactions to generate fuels and chemicals from polypropylene will be discussed with emphasis to the catalytic performance, conditions utilized, and the distribution of products obtained. This review will serve to summarize the catalytic developments in the hydrocracking, hydroliquefaction and hydrogenolysis of polypropylene and aid future research discoveries in the modifications and enhancements of the existing processes for chemical upcycling of single and mixed sources of polypropylene to develop low energy intensive, low-cost and less waste generating depolymerization technologies towards the selective production of sustainable fuels and chemicals.