Estudo do processo de depolimerização de resíduos de resinas dentárias de polimetilmetacrilato (PMMA) via pirólise

Abstract

Polymer materials, due to the diversity of their properties, ease of processing and ability to replace traditional materials, have become indispensable in modern society, although the growing accumulation of plastic waste has become a relevant problem that is difficult to manage. Given this situation, sustainability research has invested in new strategies focused on the processing and transformation of plastic waste where the pyrolysis process presents itself as a promising technology. In this work, the cross-linked PMMA-based dental resins scraps submitted to pyrolysis to recover MMA (Methylmethacrylate). The thermal degradation of cross-linked PMMA-based dental resins scraps analyzed by TG/DTG to guide the operating conditions. The pyrolysis carried out in a reactor of 143L, at 345, 405, and 420 °C, 1.0 atm. The reaction liquid products obtained at 345 °C, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 110 minutes, physicochemical characterized for density, kinematic viscosity, and refractive index. The chemical composition of reaction liquid products obtained at 354 °C, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 110 minutes, at 405 °C, 50, 70, and 130 minutes, and at 420°C, 40, 60, 80, 100, 110, and 130 minutes determined by GC-MS. The experiments show that liquid phase yields were 55.50%, 48.73%, and 48.20% (wt.), at 345, 405, and 420 °C, respectively, showing a smooth sigmoid behavior, decreasing with increasing process temperature, while that of gas phase were 31.69%, 36.60%, and 40.13% (wt.), respectively, increasing with temperature. The reaction liquid products density, kinematic viscosity, and refractive index obtained at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 110 minutes, varied between 0.9227 and 0.9380 g/mL, 0.566 and 0.588 mm2/s, and 1.401 and 1.414, respectively, showing percentage errors between 0.74 and 2.36%, 7.40 and 10.86%, and 0.00 and 0.92%, respectively, compared to standard values for density, kinematic viscosity, and refractive index of pure MMA (Methylmetaclylate) at 20 °C. The GC-MS identified in the reaction liquid products during pyrolysis at 345, 405, and 420 °C, 1.0 atm, esters of carboxylic acids, alcohols, ketones, and aromatics, showing concentrations of MMA (Methylmetaclylate) between 83.454 and 98.975% (area.). For all the depolymerization kinetic experiments at 345, 405, and 420 °C, 1.0 atm, the concentrations of MMA (Methylmetaclylate) in the liquid phase, between 30 and 80 minutes, reach purities above 98% (area.), decreasing drastically with increasing reaction time after 100 minutes, thus making it possible to depolymerize the cross-linked PMMA-based dental resins scraps by pyrolysis to recover MMA (Methylmethaclylate).