Synthesis of gasoline-like from waste tires using the catalytic cracking method

The number of used tires in Indonesia continues to increase along with the increase of the automotive industry. Tire materials are very difficult to decompose naturally and the accumulation will surely pollute the environment. Tire with rubber base material is a type of synthetic polymer (polystyrene). Polystyrene is very difficult to recycle therefore it needs an effective way to treat polystyrene waste. In this research, used tires are synthesized into gasoline using the catalytic cracking method where they will be cracked with high temperature and are assisted by NaOH and zeolite as catalysts. Ratios of zeolite and NaOH are 1:0; 3:2; 1:1; 2:3; 0:1 with tire mass of 400 g, the temperature variations are 300°C, 350°C, 400°C and heating durations are 1, 2 and 3 hours. The catalytic cracking method is considered practical as it helps to shorten the time in hydrocarbon chain breaks on used tires to be processed. Increasing amount of NaOH in the catalyst composition has given the most favorable result in gasoline produced at a maximum point of 100% NaOH at temperature of 400°C that is 257 ml.