Synergistic effects of Fe@C catalysts prepared at different carbonization temperatures on microwave co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic for high-value oil and gas production

[Display omitted] •The Fe@C catalyst increases the yield of pyrolysis gas to 34.67 wt%.•The Fe@C catalyst enhances the H2 yield in the pyrolysis gas to 51.62 %.•The Fe@C catalyst reduces the oxygen-containing compounds in bio-oil and increases the content of aromatics.•The Fe@C catalyst improves the selectivity of BTX in aromatic compounds. This study explores the impact of Fe@C catalysts, prepared at different carbonization temperatures, on the microwave co-pyrolysis of bamboo and polyethylene (BP) for the production of high-value oil and gas. In the synthesis of MIL-101(Fe), bamboo-derived pyrolytic carbon was added, and this was used as a precursor to synthesize Fe@C catalysts through microwave carbonization. Various properties and characteristics of Fe@C catalysts were analyzed using XRD, BET, SEM, FT-IR, and Raman spectroscopy to understand its structure and performance comprehensively. The composition of bio-oil, pyrolysis gas, and product distribution were analyzed. The results show that Fe@C catalysts enhances the yield of pyrolysis gas, as well as the selectivity of H2 in the pyrolysis gas and aromatic hydrocarbons in the bio-oil. Among them, Fe@C-700 catalysts achieved the highest synthesis gas yield (89.35 vol%) and aromatic hydrocarbon yield (27.13 %). Additionally, the proportion of light aromatic hydrocarbons (BTX) in the aromatic hydrocarbon compounds can reach up to 31.33 %. This study provides valuable insights into the synergistic effects of Fe@C catalysts during BP microwave co-pyrolysis, highlighting their potential for the production of high-value oil and gas from biomass and plastic.