How to characterise waste plastic pyrolysis oils
What are pyrolysis oils?
In the global push towards a circular economy, there is growing emphasis on utilising waste plastics to reduce landfill burden and minimise environmental pollution. Pyrolysis oils, derived from the pyrolysis of waste plastics and tyres, represent a promising alternative to fossil fuels. These oils are produced through a thermal decomposition process that breaks down solid plastic waste into liquid products that have potential industrial applications.
Challenges in the analysis of pyrolysis oil
Characterising pyrolysis oils presents several challenges due to their complex and variable composition. The makeup of these oils can differ based on the type of plastic feedstock and the specific conditions of the pyrolysis process. Typically, pyrolysis oils are a complex blend of n-paraffins, iso-paraffins, olefins, diolefins, iso-olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics. Additionally, trace impurities such as sulfur, oxygen, chlorine, and nitrogen compounds can influence the oil's quality and its suitability for different uses.
The intricate and diverse chemical composition of pyrolysis oils makes complete characterisation difficult with conventional one-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (1D GC–MS). Identifying individual compounds and distinguishing between naphthenic and olefin molecules often proves challenging with traditional methods.
Group-type GCxGC–TOF MS for pyrolysis oil analysis
SepSolve’s GCxGC–TOF MS technology offers an advanced approach for the non-targeted characterisation of complex pyrolysis oil mixtures, providing several key benefits:
- Enhanced separation: The cryogen-free INSIGHT-Thermal modulator delivers outstanding sensitivity and peak capacity across a broad volatility range (C7 to C50+), allowing for detailed separation of complex mixtures.
- Fast group-type analysis: ChromSpace software integrates stencils and scripting expressions for rapid and accurate overviews of sample composition, simplifying the analysis process.
- Identify contaminants: The BenchTOF2 mass spectrometer provides reliable screening for trace contaminants, including those containing oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and chlorine (Cl), ensuring comprehensive quality control.
By employing SepSolve’s GCxGC-TOF MS technology, you can achieve thorough and efficient characterisation of waste plastic pyrolysis oils, overcoming the limitations of traditional analytical methods and enhancing your understanding of these complex substances. This approach not only improves analysis accuracy but also supports the development of viable, sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels.
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separate and identify trace contaminants using GCxGC–TOF
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