DEGRADATION OF POLY (ETHYLENE) TEREPHTHALATE (PET) WASTE POWDER USING NITRIC ACID, SULPHURIC ACID AND SODIUM HYDROXIDE

摘要

Degradation of poly (ethylene terephthalate) waste powder has been carried out under atmospheric pressure using Nitric acid, Sulphuric acid and Sodium hydroxide. The optimum reaction parameter in each case has been investigated, which affects the degradation such as: reaction temperature, acid or base concentration, reflux time and particle size of the PET waste powder. The acid or base concentration plays an important role in the degradation. The maximum degradation occurs with an acid concentration of 12M (HNO_3), 8M (H_2SO_4) and 7g (NaOH), the degradation increases with increase in acid or base concentration and then decreases. The degradation also increased with increasing temperature and with decreasing particle size of PET waste powder. The average rate constants are 11.51×10~(-5) min~(-1) (HNO_3), 3.63×10~(-4) min~(-1) (H_2SO_4) and 12.26×10~(-4) min~(-1) (NaOH), while the corresponding activation energy and frequency factors are 16.08 KJ/g, 52.33 KJ/g, 13.68 KJ/g and 8.60×10~(-4), 5.27×10~(-4) and 1.43×10~(-3) respectively.