Improvement Of The Thermal Properties Of Pitch By Waste Plastic (Polyvinyl Chloride) Addition

To modify the thermal properties of pitch by adding polyvinyl chloride (PVC), co-pyrolysis of PVC and coal tar pitch was performed. PVC decomposes into HCl and de-HCl PVC (polyene) above 200 degrees C, and these substances affect the synthesis behavior of coal tar pitch. It was confirmed that HCl induces cracking, promotes the radical reaction and lowers the polycondensation initiation temperature of coal tar pitch. Furthermore, aromatic components produced by the cyclization reaction of polyene participate in the polycondensation reaction, which increases the molecular weight of the pitch. This leads to an increase in softening point and coking value of pitch. The related mechanisms were assessed using thermal analysis (TGA, DTG, DSC) and molecular weight distribution analysis (MALDI-TOF). (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.