Chemical Recycling of Polyolefins with the Molten Metal Reactor at 460 °C

This paper describes the pyrolysis of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in a molten metal reactor, where the HDPE is initially in direct contact with molten metal at 460 °C. Due to the equal temperature across the molten metal, secondary reactions are minimised, and long-chain waxes with boiling points over 600 °C accumulate on the molten metal. Once enough wax has accumulated, further HDPE pyrolysis occurs within the wax in a direct heat transfer reaction.