• • 10% Zn/ZSM-5 achieved a light gasoline hydrocarbon yield of 74.77%, approximately 3× higher than the non-catalytic baseline, demonstrating a substantial upgrade in oil quality for fuel applications.
• • Metal modification (Zn, Fe at 5% and 10% loadings) preserved the ZSM-5 framework while altering acid site distribution and surface morphology, which enhanced cracking and dehydrogenation activity during LDPE pyrolysis at 450 °C.
• • All modified catalysts increased light gasoline-range hydrocarbon yields and decreased heavy fractions compared to non-catalytic pyrolysis, indicating improved selectivity toward valuable liquid products.
• • The study establishes a cost-effective catalyst formulation using earth-abundant Zn and Fe instead of noble metals, addressing economic barriers for industrial-scale plastic waste recycling.