Surface-Activated Mechano-Catalysis for Ambient Conversion of Plastic Waste

Improved recycling technologies can offer sustainable end-of-life options for plastic waste. While polyolefins can be converted into small hydrocarbons over acid catalysts at high temperatures, we demonstrate an alternative mechano-catalytic strategy at ambient conditions. The mechanism is fundament...

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Published in:Journal of the American Chemical Society Vol. 146; no. 38; p. 26139
Main Authors: Hergesell, Adrian H, Baarslag, Renate J, Seitzinger, Claire L, Meena, Raghavendra, Schara, Patrick, Tomović, Željko, Li, Guanna, Weckhuysen, Bert M, Vollmer, Ina
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States 25.09.2024
ISSN:1520-5126, 1520-5126
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Abstract Improved recycling technologies can offer sustainable end-of-life options for plastic waste. While polyolefins can be converted into small hydrocarbons over acid catalysts at high temperatures, we demonstrate an alternative mechano-catalytic strategy at ambient conditions. The mechanism is fundamentally different from classical acidity-driven high-temperature approaches, exploiting mechanochemically generated radical intermediates. Surface activation of zirconia grinding spheres creates redox active surface sites directly at the point of mechanical energy input. This allows control over mechano-radical reactivity, while powder catalysts are not active. Optimized milling parameters enable the formation of 45% C hydrocarbons from polypropylene within 1 h at ambient temperature. While mechanochemical bond scission is undesired in plastic production, we show that it can also be exploited for chemical recycling.
AbstractList Improved recycling technologies can offer sustainable end-of-life options for plastic waste. While polyolefins can be converted into small hydrocarbons over acid catalysts at high temperatures, we demonstrate an alternative mechano-catalytic strategy at ambient conditions. The mechanism is fundamentally different from classical acidity-driven high-temperature approaches, exploiting mechanochemically generated radical intermediates. Surface activation of zirconia grinding spheres creates redox active surface sites directly at the point of mechanical energy input. This allows control over mechano-radical reactivity, while powder catalysts are not active. Optimized milling parameters enable the formation of 45% C hydrocarbons from polypropylene within 1 h at ambient temperature. While mechanochemical bond scission is undesired in plastic production, we show that it can also be exploited for chemical recycling.
Improved recycling technologies can offer sustainable end-of-life options for plastic waste. While polyolefins can be converted into small hydrocarbons over acid catalysts at high temperatures, we demonstrate an alternative mechano-catalytic strategy at ambient conditions. The mechanism is fundamentally different from classical acidity-driven high-temperature approaches, exploiting mechanochemically generated radical intermediates. Surface activation of zirconia grinding spheres creates redox active surface sites directly at the point of mechanical energy input. This allows control over mechano-radical reactivity, while powder catalysts are not active. Optimized milling parameters enable the formation of 45% C1-10 hydrocarbons from polypropylene within 1 h at ambient temperature. While mechanochemical bond scission is undesired in plastic production, we show that it can also be exploited for chemical recycling.Improved recycling technologies can offer sustainable end-of-life options for plastic waste. While polyolefins can be converted into small hydrocarbons over acid catalysts at high temperatures, we demonstrate an alternative mechano-catalytic strategy at ambient conditions. The mechanism is fundamentally different from classical acidity-driven high-temperature approaches, exploiting mechanochemically generated radical intermediates. Surface activation of zirconia grinding spheres creates redox active surface sites directly at the point of mechanical energy input. This allows control over mechano-radical reactivity, while powder catalysts are not active. Optimized milling parameters enable the formation of 45% C1-10 hydrocarbons from polypropylene within 1 h at ambient temperature. While mechanochemical bond scission is undesired in plastic production, we show that it can also be exploited for chemical recycling.
Author Baarslag, Renate J
Tomović, Željko
Meena, Raghavendra
Schara, Patrick
Seitzinger, Claire L
Weckhuysen, Bert M
Vollmer, Ina
Hergesell, Adrian H
Li, Guanna
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  surname: Vollmer
  fullname: Vollmer, Ina
  organization: Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis Group, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CG, The Netherlands
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