Hydrogenolysis of Polyethylene and Polypropylene into Propane over Cobalt-Based Catalysts.

ABSTRACT: The development of technologies to recycle polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), globally the two most produced polymers, is critical to increase plastic circularity. Here, we show that 5 wt % cobalt supported on ZSM-5 zeolite catalyzes the solvent-free hydrogenolysis of PE and PP into propane with weight-based selectivity in the gas phase over 80 wt % after 20 h at 523 K and 40 bar H₂. This catalyst significantly reduces the formation of undesired CH₄ (≤5 wt %), a product which is favored when using bulk cobalt oxide or cobalt nanoparticles supported on other carriers (selectivity ≤95 wt %). The superior performance of Co/ZSM-5 is attributed to the stabilization of dispersed oxidic cobalt nanoparticles by the zeolite support, preventing further reduction to metal

SUBMITTER: Zichittella G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9597591 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature