The amount of scrap tires (ST) is abundant, which improper disposal of it will cause seriously environment pollution, fire and spread of diseases etc. Pyrolysis is currently recognized as an efficient, economical treatment method. Furthermore, Microwave heating has the advantages of instantaneous, selectivity, the same direction of heat and mass transfer, which become more and more important. Simultaneously, ST contain a high amount of microwave absorbing materials such as metal oxides, and carbon black, which quickly adsorb microwave radiation and turn it into heat. Aim to recycle pyrolytic carbon black (CBp), the influence of microwave power on the particle size, structure and surface chemical properties of CBp were investigated, the composition and distribution of pyrolysis products were regulated and controlled to achieve efficient and high-value recycling of ST.
Microwave heating method is different from conventional pyrolysis, it generates hot spots due to inducing dipole rotation of molecule and heat is transferred from the inside to outside (As shown in Fig. 1). Therefore, the microwave pyrolysis (MP) of ST greatly improves the heat transfer efficiency. As shown in Fig. 2, MP can greatly shorten the pyrolysis reaction time and lower pyrolysis onset temperature. Compared to conventional pyrolysis (CP), microwave heating can increase the yield of char product and the specific surface area simultaneously (As Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). In addition, the spatial structure of CBp particles were enhancement with the increase of microwave power (As Fig. 5), also the iodine absorption and DBP values are between commercial CBp N110 and N330 (As shown in Table 1). However, the ash content and sulfur content were also higher. In order to increase the rubber reinforcing properties of CBp, the remove ash and desulfurize it were needed.