Synergistic Valorization of Biomass and Plastic Waste: Catalytic Co-Pyrolysis for Premium Hydrocarbon-Rich Bio-Oil

Synergistic Valorization of Biomass and Plastic Waste: Catalytic Co-Pyrolysis for Premium Hydrocarbon-Rich Bio-Oil | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Synergistic Valorization of Biomass and Plastic Waste: Catalytic Co-Pyrolysis for Premium Hydrocarbon-Rich Bio-Oil Stephen Livingston Thomas Pandian, Anci Manon Mary Amar Singh This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8050681/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The twin environmental crises of proliferating lignocellulosic waste and persistent plastic pollution demand integrated, circular solutions. This study presents a novel and transformative approach by synergistically co-pyrolyzing Prosopis juliflora wood (PJ-WB) with polyolefin (PO) plastic waste, transforming two challenging waste streams into a single, high-value product. We propose that the inherent chemical contrast between these feedstocks PJ-WB, rich in oxygen (42.4 wt%), and PO, an oxygen-free and hydrogen-donating polymer (13.07 wt% H) creates a perfect reactive partnership. Our investigation, employing a multi-faceted analytical approach, first reveals that non-catalytic co-pyrolysis unlocks significant synergy. A 70:30 PJ-WB:PO blend boosted bio-oil yield to 57.3 wt%, a notable increase from the 49.3 wt% yield from PJ-WB alone, while simultaneously suppressing char formation. While promising, this initial oil remained hampered by high concentrations of oxygenates and nitrogenates. Seeking to upgrade quality rather than just quantity, we introduced a catalyst to the pyrolysis of pure PJ-WB. This step successfully engineered a superior oil by drastically deoxygenating and denitrogenating the vapors, yet it offered only a marginal improvement in yield. The true breakthrough was achieved by uniting these strategies: catalytic co-pyrolysis. This optimized process successfully harnessed the synergistic yield enhancement of co-processing with the profound upgrading power of the catalyst. The result was a remarkable 59.8 wt% yield of a premium bio-oil, characterized by a dramatic hydrocarbon content of 59.0% and the near-complete elimination of undesirable amides and acids. This work conclusively demonstrates that catalytic co-pyrolysis is more than mere co-processing; it is a engineered system where plastic waste acts as a hydrogen donor to quench and stabilize biomass radicals, while the catalyst directs the reaction pathway towards valuable hydrocarbons. We thus present a sustainable and circular waste-to-fuel technology that not only addresses two critical environmental burdens but also efficiently converts them into a high-yield, hydrocarbon-rich bio-oil, paving the way for advanced biofuel production. Catalytic co-pyrolysis Prosopis juliflora Polyolefin plastic waste Hydrocarbon-rich bio-oil Synergistic valorization Circular economy Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8050681","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":541606986,"identity":"737de0cf-2004-41c0-9219-64f36936ef36","order_by":0,"name":"Stephen Livingston Thomas Pandian","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"RVS Technical Campus-Coimbatore","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Stephen","middleName":"Livingston Thomas","lastName":"Pandian","suffix":""},{"id":541606987,"identity":"f070b548-4b2a-44bd-93fc-a36c417027bf","order_by":1,"name":"Anci Manon Mary Amar Singh","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Karpagam College of Engineering","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Anci","middleName":"Manon Mary Amar","lastName":"Singh","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-11-06 18:23:16","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8050681/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8050681/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":95628199,"identity":"93693a3f-2ef2-4d73-8e00-881f371339b4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 11:06:37","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":111575,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ListofFigures.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8050681/v1/6745a9bb2153ef6295f837fc.docx"},{"id":95628201,"identity":"331c3f52-5550-4efc-847b-4e187b4d4171","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 11:06:37","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":86950,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Manuscript.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8050681/v1/4f629b80f3f8ea923ac56596.docx"},{"id":95628203,"identity":"e843c42f-b971-48f0-9572-c5a4c5aa92ce","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 11:06:37","extension":"docx","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":15194,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ListofTables.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8050681/v1/14fc1c92169d9bb7766c4b35.docx"},{"id":95657466,"identity":"0f1163e7-7a5f-40ed-8211-b59d957048b1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 16:20:54","extension":"json","order_by":3,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":5062,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"488f683229354e25af4326cf736ec7f0.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8050681/v1/68e3ab309589a04ab6eb55f4.json"},{"id":95628206,"identity":"54ef0f52-6880-4256-a1a5-24a0352a2b7f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 11:06:37","extension":"xml","order_by":4,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":148874,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"488f683229354e25af4326cf736ec7f01enriched.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8050681/v1/dd20b1a669243ce6962910e5.xml"},{"id":95628205,"identity":"552423b0-dd21-421a-8062-8766dd9129c2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 11:06:37","extension":"jpeg","order_by":16,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":66471,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8050681/v1/48d9699d8e3d6a196aac4c15.jpeg"},{"id":95628204,"identity":"2827237a-bc7c-4b12-9ca5-16d4b995bfd7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 11:06:37","extension":"png","order_by":17,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":19054,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8050681/v1/6f11fad392733daf57f636e3.png"},{"id":95628212,"identity":"a4e9de8e-2160-4af6-b4bf-780f71b298a8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 11:06:37","extension":"xml","order_by":18,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":149811,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"488f683229354e25af4326cf736ec7f01structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8050681/v1/389b094f4b740d9b79008444.xml"},{"id":95628207,"identity":"acec6d7e-2e54-4fd3-811b-b14d5130ba96","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 11:06:37","extension":"html","order_by":19,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":165890,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8050681/v1/16dae9c9f621c741a2de8395.html"},{"id":95660291,"identity":"cda52abd-7d44-47d6-9f0a-6108a5caa4aa","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 16:31:37","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":645815,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8050681/v1_covered_118b0808-e548-4e98-9b75-23b4bfeb6153.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Synergistic Valorization of Biomass and Plastic Waste: Catalytic Co-Pyrolysis for Premium Hydrocarbon-Rich Bio-Oil","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Catalytic co-pyrolysis, Prosopis juliflora, Polyolefin plastic waste, Hydrocarbon-rich bio-oil, Synergistic valorization, Circular economy","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8050681/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8050681/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe twin environmental crises of proliferating lignocellulosic waste and persistent plastic pollution demand integrated, circular solutions. This study presents a novel and transformative approach by synergistically co-pyrolyzing Prosopis juliflora wood (PJ-WB) with polyolefin (PO) plastic waste, transforming two challenging waste streams into a single, high-value product. We propose that the inherent chemical contrast between these feedstocks PJ-WB, rich in oxygen (42.4 wt%), and PO, an oxygen-free and hydrogen-donating polymer (13.07 wt% H) creates a perfect reactive partnership. Our investigation, employing a multi-faceted analytical approach, first reveals that non-catalytic co-pyrolysis unlocks significant synergy. A 70:30 PJ-WB:PO blend boosted bio-oil yield to 57.3 wt%, a notable increase from the 49.3 wt% yield from PJ-WB alone, while simultaneously suppressing char formation. While promising, this initial oil remained hampered by high concentrations of oxygenates and nitrogenates. Seeking to upgrade quality rather than just quantity, we introduced a catalyst to the pyrolysis of pure PJ-WB. This step successfully engineered a superior oil by drastically deoxygenating and denitrogenating the vapors, yet it offered only a marginal improvement in yield. The true breakthrough was achieved by uniting these strategies: catalytic co-pyrolysis. This optimized process successfully harnessed the synergistic yield enhancement of co-processing with the profound upgrading power of the catalyst. The result was a remarkable 59.8 wt% yield of a premium bio-oil, characterized by a dramatic hydrocarbon content of 59.0% and the near-complete elimination of undesirable amides and acids. This work conclusively demonstrates that catalytic co-pyrolysis is more than mere co-processing; it is a engineered system where plastic waste acts as a hydrogen donor to quench and stabilize biomass radicals, while the catalyst directs the reaction pathway towards valuable hydrocarbons. We thus present a sustainable and circular waste-to-fuel technology that not only addresses two critical environmental burdens but also efficiently converts them into a high-yield, hydrocarbon-rich bio-oil, paving the way for advanced biofuel production.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Synergistic Valorization of Biomass and Plastic Waste: Catalytic Co-Pyrolysis for Premium Hydrocarbon-Rich Bio-Oil","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-11 11:06:31","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8050681/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"e4572f58-bc86-4c77-afda-2a3cedeacd9d","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 11th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-12T22:53:15+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-11 11:06:31","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8050681","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8050681","identity":"rs-8050681","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}