Depolymerization mechanisms and closed-loop assessment in polyester waste recycling.

ABSTRACT: Alcoholysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) waste to produce monomers, including methanolysis to yield dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and glycolysis to generate bis-2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate (BHET), is a promising strategy in PET waste management. Here, we introduce an efficient PET-alcoholysis approach utilizing an oxygen-vacancy (V_o)-rich catalyst under air, achieving space time yield (STY) of 505.2 g_DMT·g_cat^-1·h^-1 and 957.1 g_BHET·g_cat^-1·h^-1, these results represent 51-fold and 28-fold performance enhancements compared to reactions conducted under N₂. In situ spectroscopy, in combination with density functional theory calculations, elucidates the reaction pathways of PET d

SUBMITTER: Cao J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11269573 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature