Insight of Elementary Steps on the Polyethylene and Polypropylene Co‐Pyrolysis

ABSTRACT Pyrolysis with gas chromatography & mass spectrometry (Py–GC/MS) technique was employed to analyze the yield variation of products from PE and PP co‐pyrolysis at various blending ratios, aiming to explore the PE–PP co‐pyrolysis mechanism focus on the variations in the products distribution. The results indicate that a synergistic effect exists in the co‐pyrolysis of PE and PP. The actual yield of normal hydrocarbons in the co‐pyrolysis system is significantly higher than the theoretical weighted average yield estimated from the individual pyrolysis behavior of each component. The key to this synergistic effect in the PE–PP co‐pyrolysis system lies in the intermolecular hydrogen transfer reaction. In addition, suggested from computational modeling, the secondary carbon radicals generated from PP pyrolysis undergo intermolecular hydrogen transfer with PE chains, which promotes the pyrolysis of PE, thereby producing more normal hydrocarbon products.