Pyrolysis of polycarbonate-containing material in order to recover raw materials

A pyrolysis process, comprising at least the following steps:

• (a) introducing of a pyrolysis feedstock that includes at least:
• (i) material comprising a mixture of polycarbonate-containing compound and polystyrene-containing compound into a reactor;
• and
• (ii) one catalyst from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, chromium oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, combinations of aluminum oxide with magnesium oxide and/or calcium oxide, aluminosilicates, silicon aluminum phosphates, silicalite, spinels, and clays;
• (b) degrading of at least the material of the pyrolysis feedstock introduced in step (a) in the reactor at a temperature of 300° C. to 700° C. to obtain a gas-phase product as pyrolysate and a non-gas-phase pyrolysis residue, wherein
• (i) during breakdown, the amount of oxygen gas in the reactor is not more than 2.0% by volume based on the total volume of the gases present in the reactor;
• (ii) during said breakdown, the pyrolysate is discharged from the reactor;
• and
• (iii) said pyrolysis residue is discharged from the reactor;
• and
• (c) cooling of the discharged pyrolysate to a temperature of less than 300° C. to obtain pyrolysis product selected from pyrolysate condensate, pyrolysate resublimate or a mixture thereof, wherein the pyrolysis product comprises aromatic compounds having at least one hydroxyl group.