Co-pyrolysis of the
seaweed Sargassum and polystyrene was
investigated as a potential source of renewable
energy. Sargassum is a brown macroalgae,
posing a large disposal problem for beaches worldwide, and polystyrene
is the plastic least recycled in the U.S. Although macroalgae bio-oil
cannot be directly used as a result of a high oxygen content and low
heating value, co-pyrolysis of macroalgae with low-oxygen-content
waste polystyrene can enhance oil quality. Pyrolysis of pure Sargassum was conducted to determine the temperature
producing the highest percent oil (600 °C). Co-pyrolysis of four
different mixture ratios of Sargassum and polystyrene (5, 15, 25, and 33% by weight) was then conducted
at 600 °C. Feedstocks and pyrolysis products (liquid oil and
water, gas phase, and solid phase) were characterized using elemental
analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, gas chromatography, surface
area and adsorption isotherm analysis, and nuclear magnetic resonance.
Co-pyrolysis with polystyrene improved the quality and quantity of
the oil compared to pyrolysis of Sargassum alone. The oil quantity increased, from 3% for Sargassum alone to 29% for a mixture of 67% Sargassum and 33% polystyrene. Co-pyrolysis improved the oil potential heating
value and decreased its potential for producing air pollution when
combusted, by lowering its nitrogen content. Co-pyrolysis produced
a gas with up to 7% hydrogen and 30% methane, which can be burned
as a fuel. Co-pyrolysis of Sargassum and polystyrene, therefore, shows promise as a method for generating
fuel and reducing disposal problems.
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