Abstract
Confronting the global environmental challenges posed by waste plastics and greenhouse gas emissions, this thesis explores solutions through two main avenues. An in-depth examination of the pyrolysis behaviour of waste plastics was undertaken, followed by the production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from these plastics to improve the economic feasibility of waste management processes. In addition, addressing the impediment of CO2 emissions in the advancement of biomass as a renewable energy source, this research utilises Integrated Carbon Capture and Utilisation (ICCU) technology to enhance traditional biomass gasification methods. The goal is to minimize the impact of CO2 emissions and transform them into high-value syngas. The pyrolysis characteristic parameters of real-world waste plastics were investigated, followed by a further study on high-value CNTs production by a catalytic-pyrolytic method. A two-step process during the novel IGCCU was carried out, consisting of lignin gasification producing syngas and hydrocarbon vapors, along with a large amount of unfavorable CO2, and the produced CO2 was internally absorbed by CaO, and the captured CO2 was efficiently converted into CO in the presence of H2. Cost-effective CaO-based materials(waste marble powder) and gasification agents (air) were employed to update the IGCCU technology. The CO selectivity and CO2 conversion remained stable at 100% throughout all eight cycles, indicating the remarkable stability of this novel technology.Thesis is embargoed until 31 July 2029.
| Date of Award | Jul 2024 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Sponsors | China Scholarship Council |
| Supervisor | Chunfei Wu (Supervisor) & Steven Bell (Supervisor) |
Keywords
- waste plastics
- carbon nanotubes
- IGCCU technology
- biomass gasification
- syngas production
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