Catalytic degradation of polystyrene in the presence of aluminum chloride catalyst

Acid-catalyzed cracking of polystyrene

“…However, low temperature benzene secondary macro cation, which may subsequently production, which does not require chain cleavage, cyclize to form an indane structure. The fact that was always found to occur at a higher rate for the Nanbu et al 18 detected only benzene and indane LPS polymer than for the HPS polymer. This sugstructures from acid-catalyzed poly(styrene) crackgests that low temperature benzene production ing at 50ЊC suggests that reactions that form these may result from chain ends, which would be more species are favored and that ortho ring protonation abundant for the LPS polymer than for the HPS is the rate-limiting step for the evolution of benzene.…”

“…17,18 Although acideach acid catalyst was greatest when they were in catalyzed poly(styrene) cracking appears to involve contact with the LPS polymer. The large difference many different parallel reactions and is quite comin molecular weights for these polymers (2700 vs. plicated, the following general reaction scheme can be used to represent the primary reaction pathways.…”

“…Styrene and indenes were only by initial electrophilic attack on polymer aromatic detected from samples containing HZSM-5 catarings by protons. 17,18 Protons would preferentially lyst. Figures 3 and 4 show that significant quantiattack the ortho and para ring positions because ties of benzene were detected at temperatures the aliphatic polymer backbone would be an elecwell below those at which the other volatile prodtron releasing group for the aromatic rings.…”

“…18 A consequence of chain unsaturation regated polyene segments that may subsequently cyclize to form naphthalenes. sulting from (2) might be the formation of conju-…”

“…[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] In those studies, catalysts were employed either to reform volatile thermal degra- Benzene 31 31 52 Toluene 1 1 3 3 Ethyl Benzene 20 10 5 Styrene 41 1 1 Isopropyl benzene 6 6 Methyl styrene Indane 10 10 7 Indene 1 3 Methyl indane 17 25 7 Methyl indene 3 Naphthalene 4 2 mer chains. [17][18][19] In this article, thermal analysis (HPS) (MW Å 850,000), and a low molecular weight poly(styrene) (LPS) (MW Å 2,700). Both results obtained from samples prepared by coating silica-alumina, HZSM-5, and sulfated zirconia were purchased from Aldrich Chemical (Milwaukee, WI).…”