Valorization of Pyrolyzed Waste Polystyrene and Cashew Nut Shell Oil (CNSO) as a Sustainable Hybrid Binder for High-Performance Paint

The coating industry's quest for sustainable alternatives has been sparked by the buildup of non-biodegradable expanded polystyrene (EPS) trash and the environmental harm caused by traditional petroleum-based binders. The purpose of the study was to assess how these two waste streams could work in concert to improve the final paint binder's physicochemical characteristics. Excellent performance characteristics were demonstrated by the optimized hybrid binder (PS/CNSO), which recorded a density of 1.280 g/cm³, a pH of 4.78, and a turbidity of 101.2 NTU. A refractive index of 1.556 and a melting point of 139°C were determined by thermal and optical analyses, respectively. Importantly, the binder showed good brushability with a viscosity of 16.2 mPa.s, and it showed no moisture uptake, indicating outstanding hydrophobic qualities and environmental endurance.These findings show that the combination of CNSO and PSPO improves flexibility and water resistance while successfully reducing the brittleness of recycled plastics. This study offers an economical and environmentally responsible method for producing high-quality paint by using waste materials that are produced locally, greatly lowering the environmental impact of plastic and agricultural waste. By using a batch pyrolysis process to transform solid EPS waste into a liquid intermediate and mixing it with locally sourced Cashew Nut Shell Oil (CNSO) in different concentrations, this study effectively illustrates a "waste-to-wealth" strategy

CNSO, Paint Binder, Physicochemical Properties, Polystyrene Pyrolysis Oil, Waste Valorization

1. Adewale George Adeniyi, Sulyman A. Abdulkareem, Ebuka Chizitere Emenike, Ashraf M.M. Abdelbacki, Mubarak A. Amoloye, Kingsley O. Iwuozor, Abdelrahman O. Ezzat, Favour O. Eleregbe & Ifeoluwa Peter Oyekunle (2024). Mechanical and chemical characterization of biochar-reinforced polystyrene composites. BMC Chemistry volume 18, [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Chen-Wiegart, Y. C. K., Catalano, J. and Williams, G. J. (2017). Elemental and Molecular Segregation in oil paintings due to lead soap degradation. Scientific reports 2017; 7)1): 1-9. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. De Kruif C. G. (2017). The Turbidity of Renneted Skim Milk. Journal of Colloid Interface Sci. ; 156: 38-42. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Gelzo, M., Mario Grimaldi, Alessandro Vergara, Valeria Severino, Angela Chambery & Antonio Dello Russo1 (2015). Comparison of binder compositions in Pompeian wall painting styles from Insula Occidentalis. Chemistry Central Journal 8:65 http://journal.chemistrycentral.com/content/8/1/65 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Jaafar, Y., Ramirez, G.C.A., Abdelouahed, L., El Samrani, A., El Hage, R. & Taouk, B. (2023). Upgrading Pyrolytic Oil via Catalytic Co-Pyrolysis of Beechwood and Polystyrene. Molecules 28, 5758. https://doi.org/10.3390/ molecules28155758 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Khorassani, M., Pourmahdian, S. & Afshar Taromi, F. (2016) Estimation of Critical Pigment Volume Concentration in Latex Paint Systems Using Gas Permeation. Iran. Polymer Journal; 14 (11): 1000–7 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Liem, H., Etchegoin, P. & Whitehead, K. S. (2017). Raman Scattering as a Probe of Morphology in Conjugated Polymer Thin Films. Journal of Applied Phys. 92(2): 115461 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Mark R., Witkowski & Kelsey DeWitt (2020). The Use of X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) and Vibrational Spectroscopic Techniques in the Analysis of Suspect Pharmaceutical Products: Spectroscopy-07-01-35 (7) : 41–48 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Qu, Z. (2020). Design and performance of water resistant cementitious materials: mechanisms, evaluation and applications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Milena N. Miljković, Dragan Đorđević, Miloš Đokić, Vojkan Miljković & Kristina Stoilkovski (2017). Qualitative Analysis of Pigments and Binders in paint colours used in “Gvozden” by Mica Popovic. Advanced technologies 6 (2) 56-59 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Mohammed, A. N. (2025). Synthesis and application of modified CNSL in sustainable surface coatings. (Updated findings on cardanol-based resins for rapid-curing and UV resistance). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Osemeahon, S. A., Akinterinwa, A., Fasina, E., Andrew, F. P., Shagal, M. H., Kareem, S. A. & Aminu, A. (2025). Characterization and application of composite resin of natural rubber latex and polystyrene waste as a binder for water-resistant emulsion paint formulation. Progress in rubber, plastics and recycling technology, 41 (4), 355-372. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Osemeahon, S. A., Akinterinwa, A., Fasina, E., Andrew, F. P., Shagal, M. H., Kareem, S. A. & Esenowo, D. (2024). Reduction of polystyrene/polyurethane plastic wastes from the environment into binders for water-resistant emulsion paints. Heliyon, 10 (6). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Qi G. R., Wang, Y. H., Li, X. X., Peng, H. Y. & Yang, S. L. (2022). Viscometric study on the specific interaction between proton donating polymers and proton-accepting polymers. Journal of applied polymer science 85: 415-421. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Ren X., Huang Z., Wang X.-J. & Guo G. (2022). Isoconversional Analysis of Kinetic Pyrolysis of Virgin Polystyrene and Its Two Real-World Packaging Wastes. Journal Therm. Anal. Calorim. 147:1421–1437. doi: 10.1007/s10973-020-10411-9 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Ria Afifah Almas, Anders Larsson & Ann‐Charlotte Hellgren (2020). Study of Grain Formation in Linseed Oil‐Based Paints, KTH Royal Institute of Technology Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology Stockholm, Sweden [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Seyfzadeh, B., Carlson, C. D. & Harrison, G. M. (2015). Experimental Studies on the Development of a Cast Film. Polym. Eng. Sci. 45: 443-50 p443−50p. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Sohel, S., Ali, A. & Esam, H. Z. (2015). Synthesis and Solution Properties of Poly(Acrylamide-Styrene) Block Copolymers with High Hydrophobic Content. The Free library: Society of Plastic Engineers; 2015). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Surajudeen, A. & Zebulu, D. M. (2015). Production of emulsion house paint using Polyvinyl Acetate and Gum Arabic as binder. International Journal of Material Science and Applications 4(5): 350 – 353 ISSN:2327 - 2635 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Pietschmann, J. (2023). Coating Defects. In Industrial powder coating: Basics, Methods, Practical Application (pp. 343-412). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Yuri, R. M., Francisco, J. R. G., & Yurko, D. (2017). Effect of Acrylic acid Content on the Permeability and Water Uptake of Latex Films. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Green Synthesis of Cobalt Oxide/Gold (Coo/Au) Bimetallic Nanoparticles Using Sinapinic Acid: A Comprehensive Study
• Advances in Solar Cell Technologies: A Comprehensive Review of Material Synthesis, Structural Properties, Efficiency and Diverse Applications
• Thermal Decomposition of Co-Fe-Cr-Citrate Complex Via Structural and Spectral Study
• Surface Activity and Thermodynamic Assessment of Surfactants Derived from Oreochromis Niloticus Oil (Nile Tilapia Fish)
• Green Synthesis of Robust Metal-Organic Frameworks: A Sustainable Approach for Advanced Applications