A research team led by Prof. Zeng Jie from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has made a significant breakthrough in the field of plastic upcycling.
Their study, titled “Solvent- and Hydrogen-Free Catalytic Conversion of High-Density Polyethylene Plastics,” introduces a novel dehydroaromatization and hydrogenolysis tandem strategy for converting high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastics into valuable cyclic hydrocarbons without the need for solvents or hydrogen. The findings were published in Nature Nanotechnology.
Polyethylene, one of the most commonly used plastics, poses challenges in terms of natural degradation due to its stable chemical structure. Recycling technologies for waste polyethylene plastics not only mitigate pollution but also offer economic benefits.
Drawing inspiration from two processes in the petroleum industry, namely catalytic reforming of short-chain gasoline fractions and hydrocracking of heavy oils, the research team sought to treat waste HDPE plastics as a solid-petroleum raw material through environmentally friendly catalytic conversion, thereby producing downstream petroleum-based chemical products.
Inspired by two processes in the petroleum industry, the research team focused on catalytic reforming of short-chain gasoline fractions to obtain higher-value cyclic hydrocarbons, which generates hydrogen, and the hydrocracking of heavy oils to produce short-chain hydrocarbons, which consumes hydrogen.
2023-07-14 09:24:03
Source from phys.org