A comprehensive review on co-pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass and polystyrene

Abstract

Co-pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass with a feedstock having a high hydrogen content, such as plastics, is one of the most efficacious and promising approaches to ameliorate bio-oil yield and quality. Polystyrene, a common thermoplastic, is an attractive feedstock for co-pyrolysis as it contains almost 99 wt% of volatile matter based on proximate analysis. A comprehensive review of the co-pyrolysis of different types of lignocellulosic biomass and polystyrene is provided here, with the primary focus on the reactor configurations, along with the quantity and quality of targeted products of interest. Kinetic modeling has been used to elucidate the role of polystyrene on the relevant activation energies and reaction mechanisms. Most of the experimental studies have employed a fixed bed reactor but a few have employed a fluidized bed reactor. The environmental and economic aspects of the process with respect to feedstock and products are considered. Finally, future perspectives and challenges in the commercialization of the co-pyrolysis process for the two types of feedstock are discussed.