Effects of Acid Characteristics of Nanoporous MCM-48 on the Pyrolysis Product Distribution of Waste Pepper Stem

Abstract EN

Nanoporous catalysts Si-MCM-48 and Al-MCM-48 were applied for the first time to the catalytic pyrolysis of waste pepper stem.

Pyrolysis experiments were conducted at 550°C using Py-GC/MS to examine the product distribution rapidly.

Phenolics were shown to be the most abundant product species of noncatalytic pyrolysis, whereas aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons were produced marginally.

On the other hand, much larger quantities of furans and aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons were produced from the catalytic pyrolysis over MCM-48, while the production of phenolics was suppressed significantly.

Al-MCM-48 showed a much higher catalytic activity than Si-MCM-48, which was attributed to its much higher acidity.

The results of this study indicate that valuable chemicals can be produced from waste pepper stem using catalytic pyrolysis over an acidic nanoporous catalyst.