Recycling polyolefin plastic waste at short contact times via rapid joule heating.

ABSTRACT: The chemical deconstruction of polyolefins to fuels, lubricants, and waxes offers a promising strategy for mitigating their accumulation in landfills and the environment. Yet, achieving true recyclability of polyolefins into C₂-C₄ monomers with high yields, low energy demand, and low carbon dioxide emissions under realistic polymer-to-catalyst ratios remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate a single-step electrified approach utilizing Rapid Joule Heating over an H-ZSM-5 catalyst to efficiently deconstruct polyolefin plastic waste into light olefins (C₂-C₄) in milliseconds, with high productivity at much higher polymer-to-catalyst ratio than prior work. The catalyst is essential in producing a narrow distribution of light olefins. Pulsed operation an

SUBMITTER: Selvam E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11226686 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature