biostudies-literatureUnknown15(1)Cao JAlcoholysis 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 dNature communications6266https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11269573biostudies-literatureDepolymerization mechanisms and closed-loop assessment in polyester waste recycling.PMC11269573Li XYang JZhu ZLiang HElimelech MLu XCao JDeng JfalseDepolymerization mechanisms and closed-loop assessment in polyester waste recycling.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 d2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Jul2026-05-04T06:38:22.628Z2025-04-06T19:29:26.73ZS-EPMC112695733904854210.1038/s41467-024-50702-5