Abstract
Among the various waste polymeric materials, the rubber (tire) waste poses serious problems to the environment and during recycling. Styrene-butadiene-rubber (SBR) and ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) rubber waste occupies a major portion in the tire rubber waste. The effect of thermal decomposition temperature (380 to 450°C) for feedstock recycling of SBR and EPDM were performed. The thermal decomposition (pyrolysis) of used tyres (SBR and EPDM) will produce hydrocarbons, gases, and solid residues. The sulfur containing hydrocarbons were formed during the decomposition of SBR and EPDM. Iron oxide (Fe-C) and calcium carbonate (Ca-C) carbon composites were used for the desulfurization of liquid products obtained from SBR and EPDM thermal decomposition. The effect of desulfurization temperature was carried out at 350 and 400°C. The use of iron based catalysts yielded the liquid hydrocarbons with less than 100 ppm of sulfur. Decomposition products were extensively analyzed by various analytical instruments i.e., gas chromatograph equipped with flame ionization detector (GC-FID), thermal conductivity detector (TCD), atomic emission detector (AED), X-ray diffraction, ion chromatograph.
