SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Procedure for generation of catalyst-free PE-TG profiles and its consequence on calculated activation energies

Gorazd Berčiča,[*], Petar Djinovićb, Albin Pintarb

aDepatment of Catalysis and Chemical Reaction Engineering, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia

bDepartment for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia


a) b)

Fig. S1 Demonstration of smoothing efficiency for different smoothing algorithms by comparison of calculated DTG curves from smooth raw TG data. Catalyst: M300, heating rate 5 Kmin-1 (a) and 25 Kmin-1 (b)

Fig. S2 Comparison between observed degradation rates during PE depolymerization runs


Table S1 Calculated mixing ratios from experimentally measured TG profiles and TG profile of pure catalyst sample for measurements carried out at different heating rates

Heating rate
/Kmin-1 / PE : MAl / PE : M300 / PE : ASA
5 / 0.5097 : 0.4903 / 0.5055 : 0.4945 / 0.5115 : 0.4885
10 / 0.4909 : 0.5091 / 0.5164 : 0.4836 / 0.5174 : 0.4826
15 / 0.4877 : 0.5123 / 0.4986 : 0.5014 / 0.5129 : 0.4872
20 / 0.4905 : 0.5095 / 0.5382 : 0.4618 / 0.5112 : 0.4888
25 / 0.4985 : 0.5015 / 0.5397 : 0.4603 / 0.5099 : 0.4901

Table S2 Calculated values of activation energies from the extracted PE profiles for the case of PE depolymerization in the presence of MAl catalyst

Conversion / Activation energy/kJmol-1 / Correlation
factor / Ea /kJmol-1 / Correlation
factor
AICM / Friedman / rFriedman / KAS / rKAS
.025 / 387.90 / 399.51 / 0.989 / 422.66 / 0.985
.05 / 291.36 / 290.73 / 0.988 / 311.54 / 0.99
.1 / 284.27 / 284.39 / 0.990 / 278.74 / 0.992
.15 / 300.22 / 300.01 / 0.995 / 286.09 / 0.993
.2 / 309.88 / 309.99 / 0.996 / 294.75 / 0.995
.25 / 322.76 / 322.73 / 0.997 / 304.31 / 0.996
.3 / 333.29 / 333.18 / 0.997 / 314.08 / 0.996
.35 / 345.71 / 345.66 / 0.997 / 324.00 / 0.996
.4 / 352.74 / 352.68 / 0.996 / 333.04 / 0.996
.45 / 356.55 / 356.51 / 0.996 / 340.29 / 0.996
.5 / 356.32 / 355.92 / 0.996 / 345.26 / 0.996
.55 / 354.26 / 353.86 / 0.996 / 348.18 / 0.996
.6 / 349.52 / 349.88 / 0.996 / 349.35 / 0.996
.65 / 344.45 / 344.29 / 0.997 / 348.95 / 0.996
.7 / 337.08 / 337.2 / 0.998 / 347.31 / 0.997
.75 / 326.94 / 327.26 / 0.998 / 344.13 / 0.997
.8 / 312.68 / 312.81 / 0.999 / 338.85 / 0.998
.85 / 292.89 / 293.06 / 0.999 / 330.65 / 0.998
.9 / 270.79 / 270.78 / 0.999 / 318.88 / 0.999
.95 / 254.13 / 253.72 / 0.999 / 302.47 / 0.999
.975 / 265.56 / 264.69 / 0.998 / 291.86 / 0.999


Table S3 Calculated values of activation energies from the extracted PE profiles for the case of PE depolymerization in the presence of M300 catalyst

Conversion / Activation energy/kJmol-1 / Correlation
factor / Ea/kJmol-1 / Correlation
factor
AICM / Friedman / rFriedman / KAS / rKAS
.025 / 113.11 / 113.28 / 0.977 / 121.95 / 0.986
.05 / 120.16 / 119.70 / 0.986 / 117.66 / 0.995
.1 / 154.93 / 155.29 / 0.999 / 126.92 / 0.997
.15 / 167.38 / 167.39 / 0.995 / 139.77 / 0.997
.2 / 167.26 / 167.31 / 0.998 / 147.06 / 0.997
.25 / 174.63 / 174.64 / 0.997 / 152.16 / 0.997
.3 / 182.01 / 182.26 / 0.994 / 156.90 / 0.996
.35 / 188.09 / 188.37 / 0.994 / 161.87 / 0.996
.4 / 196.97 / 196.42 / 0.996 / 166.79 / 0.996
.45 / 205.97 / 205.71 / 0.998 / 171.88 / 0.996
.5 / 212.49 / 213.26 / 0.999 / 177.10 / 0.996
.55 / 219.19 / 219.14 / 0.999 / 182.32 / 0.997
.6 / 223.41 / 224.49 / 0.999 / 187.43 / 0.997
.65 / 227.95 / 228.64 / 0.999 / 192.35 / 0.997
.7 / 230.52 / 230.49 / 0.999 / 196.91 / 0.998
.75 / 228.74 / 229.18 / 0.998 / 200.87 / 0.998
.8 / 226.92 / 225.06 / 0.999 / 203.90 / 0.998
.85 / 216.91 / 215.79 / 0.998 / 205.56 / 0.998
.9 / 202.30 / 199.5 / 0.998 / 205.02 / 0.998
.95 / 179.35 / 178.52 / 0.996 / 200.90 / 0.998
.975 / 176.35 / 175.27 / 0.99 / 196.96 / 0.999

Table S4 Calculated values of activation energies from the extracted PE profiles for the case of PE depolymerization in the presence of ASA catalyst

Conversion / Activation energy/kJmol-1 / Correlation
factor / Ea/kJmol-1 / Correlation
factor
AICM / Friedman / rFriedman / KAS / rKAS
.025 / 102.11 / 102.14 / 0.999 / 101.60 / 0.995
.05 / 104.51 / 104.31 / 1 / 101.41 / 0.998
.1 / 112.89 / 112.84 / 1 / 104.27 / 0.999
.15 / 120.65 / 120.62 / 1 / 108.49 / 1
.2 / 129.35 / 129.31 / 1 / 113.86 / 1
.25 / 137.37 / 137.32 / 0.999 / 119.54 / 1
.3 / 145.65 / 145.58 / 0.998 / 125.56 / 1
.35 / 154.68 / 154.64 / 0.998 / 132.00 / 0.999
.4 / 162.57 / 162.59 / 0.997 / 138.80 / 0.999
.45 / 170.65 / 170.59 / 0.997 / 145.68 / 0.998
.5 / 177.79 / 177.79 / 0.996 / 152.50 / 0.998
.55 / 184.32 / 184.38 / 0.996 / 159.11 / 0.997
.6 / 188.48 / 188.54 / 0.995 / 165.19 / 0.997
.65 / 191.61 / 191.55 / 0.995 / 170.49 / 0.996
.7 / 194.10 / 194.05 / 0.994 / 174.94 / 0.996
.75 / 195.92 / 196.00 / 0.993 / 178.78 / 0.995
.8 / 197.73 / 197.82 / 0.99 / 182.06 / 0.995
.85 / 202.72 / 202.66 / 0.983 / 185.26 / 0.993
.9 / 216.74 / 216.61 / 0.963 / 189.71 / 0.988
.95 / 293.76 / 292.88 / 0.905 / 205.75 / 0.961
.975 / 625.52 / 600.98 / 0.977 / 308.77 / 0.956


Table S5 Calculated values of activation energies from the TG profiles measured during non-catalytic PE depolymerization

Conversion / Activation energy/kJmol-1 / Correlation
factor / Ea/kJmol-1 / Correlation
factor
AICM / Friedman / rFriedman / KAS / rKAS
.025 / 214.84 / 214.03 / 0.971 / 285.86 / 0.955
.05 / 198.06 / 197.52 / 0.989 / 239.57 / 0.978
.1 / 204.80 / 205.24 / 0.99 / 217.23 / 0.987
.15 / 216.83 / 216.66 / 0.991 / 214.50 / 0.989
.2 / 231.01 / 230.62 / 0.992 / 217.01 / 0.991
.25 / 243.17 / 242.91 / 0.993 / 221.72 / 0.992
.3 / 249.81 / 250.68 / 0.994 / 226.75 / 0.993
.35 / 252.58 / 254.94 / 0.995 / 231.42 / 0.993
.4 / 255.66 / 256.82 / 0.998 / 235.44 / 0.994
.45 / 258.04 / 259.44 / 0.999 / 239.14 / 0.995
.5 / 264.24 / 265.89 / 0.999 / 242.84 / 0.996
.55 / 269.66 / 273.12 / 0.999 / 246.66 / 0.997
.6 / 276.42 / 278.65 / 0.999 / 250.5 / 0.998
.65 / 281.44 / 282.11 / 0.998 / 254.28 / 0.999
.7 / 285.13 / 284.77 / 0.998 / 257.88 / 0.999
.75 / 288.48 / 287.32 / 0.998 / 261.31 / 0.999
.8 / 289.94 / 288.49 / 0.999 / 264.56 / 0.999
.85 / 294.76 / 286.28 / 0.999 / 267.51 / 1
.9 / 287.80 / 279.71 / 0.999 / 270.06 / 1
.95 / 266.06 / 266.05 / 0.999 / 272.71 / 1
.975 / 257.56 / 254.45 / 0.999 / 278.08 / 0.999

Table S6 Calculated values of activation energies from measured TG profiles for PE degradation in the presence of MAl catalyst according to postulated presumptions

Conversion / Presumption I / Presumption II / Presumption III
Ea/kJmol-1 / r / Ea/kJmol-1 / r / Ea/kJmol-1 / r
.025 / 399.51 / 0.989 / 254.9 / 0.992 / -11.62 / .045
.05 / 290.73 / 0.988 / 246.74 / 0.993 / 297.98 / .863
.1 / 284.39 / 0.99 / 259.78 / 0.995 / 275.71 / 0.989
.15 / 300.01 / 0.995 / 283.84 / 0.995 / 292.14 / 0.996
.2 / 309.99 / 0.996 / 296.36 / 0.997 / 305.31 / 0.996
.25 / 322.73 / 0.997 / 309.27 / 0.998 / 316.01 / 0.997
.3 / 333.18 / 0.997 / 322.06 / 0.998 / 329.98 / 0.998
.35 / 345.66 / 0.997 / 334.35 / 0.998 / 342.07 / 0.997
.4 / 352.68 / 0.996 / 343.31 / 0.997 / 352.22 / 0.997
.45 / 356.51 / 0.996 / 348.54 / 0.997 / 357.50 / 0.997
.5 / 355.92 / 0.996 / 349.68 / 0.997 / 358.11 / 0.997
.55 / 353.86 / 0.996 / 348.01 / 0.996 / 356.05 / 0.996
.6 / 349.88 / 0.996 / 343.95 / 0.997 / 351.27 / 0.996
.65 / 344.29 / 0.997 / 339.63 / 0.998 / 346.38 / 0.997
.7 / 337.20 / 0.998 / 333.08 / 0.998 / 339.30 / 0.998
.75 / 327.26 / 0.998 / 323.54 / 0.999 / 329.29 / 0.999
.8 / 312.81 / 0.999 / 310.62 / 0.999 / 315.67 / 0.999
.85 / 293.06 / 0.999 / 291.27 / 0.999 / 295.58 / 0.999
.9 / 270.78 / 0.999 / 264.49 / 1 / 271.68 / 1
.95 / 253.72 / 0.999 / 235.34 / 1 / 265.25 / 0.999
.975 / 264.69 / 0.998 / 219.34 / 0.997 / 349.5 / 0.994


Table S7 Calculated values of activation energies from measured TG profiles for PE degradation in the presence of M300 catalyst according to postulated presumptions

Conversion / Presumption I / Presumption II / Presumption III
Ea/kJmol-1 / r / Ea/kJmol-1 / r / Ea/kJmol-1 / r
.025 / 113.28 / 0.977 / 95.15 / 0.985 / 13.29 / .017
.05 / 119.70 / 0.986 / 127.41 / 0.991 / 94.41 / 0.985
.1 / 155.29 / 0.999 / 146.69 / 0.997 / 131.72 / 0.993
.15 / 167.39 / 0.995 / 166.38 / 0.994 / 163.06 / 0.995
.2 / 167.31 / 0.998 / 164.75 / 0.999 / 164.32 / 0.998
.25 / 174.64 / 0.997 / 172.03 / 0.997 / 170.46 / 0.998
.3 / 182.26 / 0.994 / 180.54 / 0.994 / 179.51 / 0.995
.35 / 188.37 / 0.994 / 186.48 / 0.994 / 185.77 / 0.993
.4 / 196.42 / 0.996 / 194.2 / 0.996 / 192.9 / 0.995
.45 / 205.71 / 0.998 / 203.88 / 0.998 / 203.56 / 0.997
.5 / 213.26 / 0.999 / 211.29 / 0.999 / 212.22 / 0.998
.55 / 219.14 / 0.999 / 216.76 / 0.999 / 218.42 / 0.999
.6 / 224.49 / 0.999 / 221.87 / 0.999 / 224.09 / 0.999
.65 / 228.64 / 0.999 / 226.03 / 0.999 / 228.82 / 0.999
.7 / 230.49 / 0.999 / 227.85 / 0.998 / 231.12 / 0.999
.75 / 229.18 / 0.998 / 226.47 / 0.999 / 230.52 / 0.999
.8 / 225.06 / 0.999 / 222.07 / 0.998 / 226.48 / 0.999
.85 / 215.79 / 0.998 / 212.26 / 0.998 / 217.10 / 0.999
.9 / 199.50 / 0.998 / 193.45 / 0.999 / 198.73 / 0.999
.95 / 178.52 / 0.996 / 161.55 / 0.998 / 176.87 / 0.998
.975 / 175.27 / 0.990 / 144.78 / 0.997 / 225.10 / 0.995

Table S8 Calculated values of activation energies from measured TG profiles for PE degradation in the presence of ASA catalyst according to postulated presumptions

Conversion / Presumption I / Presumption II / Presumption III
Ea/kJmol-1 / r / Ea/kJmol-1 / r / Ea/kJmol-1 / r
.025 / 102.14 / 0.999 / 102.04 / 1 / 81.55 / 0.962
.05 / 104.31 / 1 / 103.25 / 0.999 / 102.69 / 1
.1 / 112.84 / 1 / 111.17 / 1 / 110.64 / 0.999
.15 / 120.62 / 1 / 119.51 / 1 / 117.29 / 1
.2 / 129.31 / 1 / 127.2 / 0.999 / 126.61 / 0.999
.25 / 137.32 / 0.999 / 134.96 / 0.998 / 134.99 / 0.998
.3 / 145.58 / 0.998 / 143.21 / 0.998 / 143.53 / 0.998
.35 / 154.64 / 0.998 / 151.86 / 0.997 / 152.30 / 0.997
.4 / 162.59 / 0.997 / 159.17 / 0.996 / 161.01 / 0.997
.45 / 170.59 / 0.997 / 167.10 / 0.996 / 169.57 / 0.996
.5 / 177.79 / 0.996 / 173.68 / 0.995 / 176.75 / 0.996
.55 / 184.38 / 0.996 / 180.23 / 0.995 / 183.95 / 0.996
.6 / 188.54 / 0.995 / 184.63 / 0.994 / 188.92 / 0.995
.65 / 191.55 / 0.995 / 187.14 / 0.995 / 191.81 / 0.995
.7 / 194.05 / 0.994 / 189.43 / 0.993 / 194.63 / 0.994
.75 / 196.00 / 0.993 / 190.97 / 0.992 / 197.03 / 0.993
.8 / 197.82 / 0.990 / 191.30 / 0.989 / 198.74 / 0.990
.85 / 202.66 / 0.983 / 193.50 / 0.981 / 204.76 / 0.983
.9 / 216.61 / 0.963 / 199.93 / 0.960 / 221.08 / 0.962
.95 / 292.88 / 0.905 / 229.89 / 0.867 / 327.82 / 0.919
.975 / 600.98 / 0.977 / 309.82 / 0.940 / 937.5 / 0.921

1

[*]Corresponding author. Tel.: +386 1 47 60 282; fax: +386 1 47 60 300. E-mail address:
(G. Berčič).