In situ modification of pyrolysis products of macromolecules in an analytical pyrolyser

An application of pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) is presented for the fast on-line testing of solid catalysts activity in upgrading pyrolysis oils and/or gases of natural and synthetic polymers. Evaluation of the chemical conversion by a catalyst is simply and quickly performed in a Py-GC/MS instrument without any modification either of the micropyrolyser or the GC inlet. The pyrolysis products evolved from the sample pass through catalyst microbeds of some mm length and the GC/MS analysis of the converted products is performed on-line. Modification of polyolefin, styrene copolymer, polyester, polyamide, brominated epoxy resin and wood pyrolysate was carried out applying sodium type zeolite and medium acidic mesoporous aluminosilicate in the microbeds. The primary pyrolysis products are converted over the microbeds due to the catalytic activity of the bed material. Intramolecular hydrogen transfer reactions promoted by Na zeolite results in the isomerisation of alkenes and alkadienes evolved by pyrolysis from polyethylene and polypropylene. These basic catalysts were found to be effective for the elimination of brominated phenols from the pyrolysate of brominated epoxy resin. Cracking of alkane and alkene oligomer products of polyolefins to light isoalkenes occur over acidic mesoporous aluminosilicate. Certain compounds with polar groups evolved from polyester, polyamide, cellulose or lignin are removed by this catalyst. Alkenylaromatic compounds are simultaneously hydrogenated and polyaromatised in pyrolysis oils of styrene copolymers over both acidic and basic aluminosilicate catalysts tested.