Thermal Decomposition Mechanism and Product Distribution Control of Retired Wind Turbine Blades Catalyzed by Metals

Pyrolysis experiments on decommissioned wind turbine blades were conducted using a fixed-bed reactor to systematically study the compositional characteristics of pyrolysis products and achieve the regulation of high-value chemicals. The results show that the addition of Fe³⁺ catalyst did not change the release sequence of pyrolysis gases but promoted the cleavage of aliphatic side chains, leading to an increase in free H and small molecules. When the Fe³⁺ addition was 5 wt %, the H₂ content in the pyrolysis gas increased to 1.86 times that of the sample without catalyst; at the same time, Fe³⁺ inhibited the decomposition of C-O bonds, reducing the production of CO₂ to about one-third of the original amount. During the pyrolysis process, Fe³⁺ promoted the breakdown of large molecular chains, causing the decomposition of hydroxyl and olefinic compounds, thereby increasing the content of phenol in the liquid phase and demonstrating effective control over the composition and yield of tar. When the Fe³⁺ addition was 15 wt %, the phenol content reached 40%. The study indicates that the presence of Fe³⁺ promotes the formation of H₂, phenolic compounds, and other aromatic compounds, providing a feasible route for the controlled production of high-value chemicals.