Hydrogen and carbon black nano-spheres production via thermal plasma pyrolysis of polymers

This work addresses the thermal plasma pyrolysis of four polymer waste samples to produce hydrogen rich gases and carbon black nano particles. Samples were treated in a furnace fitted with a twin dc thermal plasma torch. The resultant gases were analyzed to determine its composition by GC and OES analysis. These analyses showed that gas products consist of hydrogen and some hydrocarbons without any carbon monoxide. It was found that with an increase in arc current, the concentrations of hydrogen and hydrocarbons in gas products increases and decreases, respectively. Furthermore, by SEM, TEM and XRD analysis of solid products, it was found that the high purity carbon black nano spheres were synthesized successfully by pyrolytic decomposition of “Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene”.