From waste to fuel: Catalytic pyrolysis transforms COVID-19 face masks into high-octane hydrocarbons
2025
Zachary Y. Shin | Amir-Hadi Boroumand | Jacob DerMovsesian | Shiaojung Louie | Eric Dudley | Pilar Cuadros-Arias | Adrian Rubio | Petr Vozka | Mingheng Li
Single-use polypropylene (PP) masks remain a persistent post-pandemic waste stream, underscoring the need for circular valorization strategies. We demonstrate a custom-built, low-cost semi-batch reactor that processes 50 g of feedstock under realistic heat and mass transfer conditions, converting discarded masks into liquid hydrocarbons. Product distributions were evaluated using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC × GC–FID). Thermal pyrolysis at 420–475 °C maximized liquid yields (up to ∼60 wt.%), whereas ZSM-5 catalyst promoted vapor-phase cracking, reducing oil recovery but enriching fuel-relevant species. With ZSM-5, the iso/n-paraffin ratio increased by ≈ 1.25, and aromatic content rose to ∼33 wt.%. Controlled conversion of paraffins to cycloaromatics generated naphtha-range (C5C9) fractions enriched in isoparaffins and aromatics, consistent with higher-octane fuels. These results reveal a clear trade-off between total liquid recovery and fuel quality, positioning catalytic upgrading of mask-derived PP as a promising pathway to high-value blendstocks.
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