Natural rubber, a potential alternative source for the synthesis of renewable fuels via Hydrous Pyrolysis

Natural rubber is a humid agricultural harvest, which mostly contains hydrocarbon cis-1, 4-Poly isoprene. Through depolymerisation technology, the natural rubber can be changed into liquid product, and then it can be subsequently utilized as a fuel or chemical feedstock. This article aims to provide an outlook on the natural rubber and its sources, which are available globally. Numerous depolymerisation processes, which include pyrolysis, gasification, chemical degradation, catalytic cracking and hydrogenation, were introduced in this paper, while the focus of discussion was emphasized on the hydrous pyrolysis process. Many studies have shown that the use of hydrous pyrolysis able to improve the depolymerisation process, e.g. the raw material can be feed without drying, the process can be carried out at lower temperature, only the water is used as the reaction medium, and it is easy to separate the water from oil product. The effect of operating parameters such as temperature, water to rubber mass ratio, reaction time and type of gases on the product yield and composition were reviewed in this paper. In addition, this paper also highlighted the eco-friendly and economic viability of the hydrous pyrolysis process.