Study on degradation mechanism and products of polypropylene in supercritical water

Polypropylene was degraded in supercritical water by a batch tubular reactor.The degradation products of polypropylene were analyzed and identified systematically by GC-MS.The degradation mechanism and products of polypropylene in supercritical water were investigated.The results showed that the polypropylene can be degraded to oily products and combustible gas effectively in supercritical water.The aromatic and methane were the main components in oily products and combustible gas,respectively.The kinds of mellow and hydroxybenzene were found in water.The free radical reaction was the character of supercritical water processes for polypropylene degradation and free radicals ·OH began the reactions.