CATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF WATER SACHET WASTE (LPDE) USING MESOPOROUS SILICA KIT-6 MODIFIED WITH 12-TUNGSTOPHOSPHORIC ACID

The work investigated the feasibility of the catalytic degradation of water sachet waste (which is a low density polyethylene) to produce valuable chemicals using 12-tungstophosphoric acid (HPA) and 12-tungstophosphoric acid supported on KIT-6 as catalysts. The reaction was carried out at 400°C for 30 minutes at atmospheric pressure. The gas and liquid products obtained were analyzed using a gas chromatograph. For the liquid product using HPA-KIT-6, about 69 mol% of fractions between C10-C17 (kerosene fraction) was obtained; 32 mol% of which was C16 fraction while for the gas product 93 mol% propane fraction was obtained. A low amount of gas (mainly C3 fraction) resulted from the reaction using HPA-KIT-6 while cracking over HPA gave high yield of gas product (C2 and C3 fractions). Catalytic degradation using HPA/KIT-6 is therefore a promising route for obtaining valuable fuels and petrochemicals while at the same time reducing the environmental problems arising from water sachet waste.