On the Kinetics of Degradation Reaction Determined Post Accelerated Weathering of Polyolefin Plastic Waste Blends

S.M. Al-Salem, M.H. Behbehani, H.J. Karam, S.F. Al-Rowaih and F.M. Asiri
Additional contact information
S.M. Al-Salem: Environment & Life Sciences Research Centre, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box: 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
M.H. Behbehani: Environment & Life Sciences Research Centre, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box: 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
H.J. Karam: Environment & Life Sciences Research Centre, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box: 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
S.F. Al-Rowaih: Environment & Life Sciences Research Centre, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box: 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
F.M. Asiri: Environment & Life Sciences Research Centre, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box: 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-20

Abstract: Polyolefin (PO) polymers constitute the majority of consumer plastic commodities. The reliance on such materials make it near imposable to avoid touching one in any given day. Therefore, the accumulation of plastic solid waste (PSW) in developed and developing societies alike requires immediate attention to manage and valorize this type of waste. In this work, PSW originating from real life sources and virgin linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) films were compounded in a mechanical recycling effort. The recycled blends constituted up to 100% (by weight) of the waste material. Accelerated weathering (aging) was conducted on the blends, reaching threshold limit of exposure to study the major changes occurring on the recycled blends. Thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to determine their characteristics and applicability for future recycling using thermo-chemical treatment (TCT) methods. Analytical solution methods following the international committee of thermal analysis and calorimetry (ICTAC) were followed in conducting the measurements and kinetic calculations alike. A novel analytical mathematical solution model is also introduced to determine both the pre-exponential factor (A o ) and apparent activation energy ( E a ) of the degradation reaction. The model proved to be a more accurate analysis tool, and the work in whole enabled the determination of future plans for using such waste components as a feedstock to thermal units.

Keywords: plastic; polyolefin; degradation; solid waste; thermolysis; kinetics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/3/395/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/3/395/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:3:p:395-:d:202135

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().