Waste-to-fuel innovation: Microwave-assisted catalytic conversion of laboratory latex glove waste into gasoline-range hydrocarbons over NiMo/ZSM-5

Escalating accumulation of rubber waste, particularly discarded laboratory latex gloves, represents a pressing environmental concern and calls for innovative, sustainable alternatives to fossil-derived fuels. Herein, an integrated and energy-efficient strategy is advanced, coupling microwave-assisted pyrolysis (MAP) with catalytic upgrading over a hydrothermally prepared NiMo/ZSM-5 catalyst to valorize latex glove waste into gasoline-range hydrocarbons. The bimetallic NiMo/ZSM-5 system exhibits markedly enhanced catalytic performance relative to its monometallic analogues (Ni/ZSM-5 and Mo/ZSM-5), delivering a maximum gasoline-range (C₅–C₁₂) yield of 76.39 wt.% under optimized conditions (800 W, 40 min). Detailed compositional analysis reveals a product distribution comprising 14.26 vol.% aromatics, 42.29 vol.% paraffins, and 43.45 vol.% olefins, with an H/C ratio of 1.39 and an iso-paraffin index of 1.18. These compositional changes are reflected in a research octane number (RON) of 92.23, approaching that of commercial RON 92 gasoline, thereby underscoring its potential as a gasoline-range blending component. Notwithstanding these advances, the persistence of olefinic species suggests that further optimization is necessary to improve storage stability. Collectively, this work establishes microwave-assisted catalytic upgrading over NiMo/ZSM-5 as a compelling and scalable pathway for converting rubber waste into value-added hydrocarbon fuels, while highlighting critical directions for process refinement and techno-economic validation.