High-density polyethylene degradation into low molecular weight gases at 1823 K: An atomistic simulation

L Ramin and MHN Assadi and V Sahajwalla, JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL AND APPLIED PYROLYSIS, 110, 318-321 (2014).

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaap.2014.09.022

Using molecular dynamics simulation, we present a comprehensive study of the volatile thermal degradation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) across a temperature range of 300 K to 1823 K. We find that degradation at temperatures higher than similar to 1373 K generates significant quantities of reducing gases such as CHn and hydrogen molecules which are beneficial to the steelmaking industry. Our results provide a new understanding of HDPE's phase transformation from solid to gas that occurs during superheating at steelmaking's electric arc furnace environment offering a new method for eliminating end-of-life HDPE from landfill. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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