5. Pyrolysis

This technique is mainly used to treat end-of-life tires. It involves treating waste rubber (ELT in particular) at high temperature (350°C – 750°C) in the absence of oxygen. Three types of product are obtained, the proportions of which vary according to the pyrolysis temperature:

• a gas ;

• an oil ;

• a solid.

The gas, made up of various hydrocarbons, is used to produce the heat or electrical energy required for the pyrolysis process.

Oil is made up of a hundred different products. It can be used as a fuel (similar to kerosene). Trials have been conducted to use this oil as a plasticizer in a rubber compound. It contains interesting products, in particular limonene (an isoprene dimer), but recovery by separation is tricky....