Co-production of Hydrogen and Carbon Nanotubes from Polyethylene Plastic Waste

Abstract

This work introduced a green technology toward green hydrogen production without any Cox evolutions which can be utilized in both of energy sector and industrial applications without any further treatments. Moreover, it commenced an effective ecological and economical management scenario of plastic wastes to smart nano materials such as CNTs, CNFs, CNOs and graphitic layers which are emerged in various practical and industrial applications. Therefore, our thesis could solve multiple challenges suchlike plastic waste accumulations with their hazard impacts and clean alternative energy carrier as well as extraordinary CNMs production with their versatile applications without any harmful side effects. So, both of material reserve and energy conversion would be achieved from no resource (LDPE waste). Via continuously two stage processes, thermal decomposition of LDPE waste was achieved in the first furnace to three parts (no condensable gases, liquid and solid) then the resultant gases were passed through the vertical condenser for continuous condensation during the reaction. Hence, the resultant non-condensable gases C1-5 were catalytically decomposed in the second furnace to yield clean hydrogen and to deposit carbon nanomaterials. Continuously, the final resultant gases were evaluated and detected via online gas chromatography to detect the resultant hydrogen concentration and other gases (not decomposed). After reaction termination, the as-deposited CNMs were investigated via XRD, Raman, TGA and TEM analyses to indicate their nature, quality structure and morphology. So, the mission and strategy of this thesis rely on proper design of catalyst with highly catalytic activity and stability during the reaction period without any inhibition to be able to