1
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Yu J, Xu X, Zhuang Z, Tan J, Huang W, Ou R, Liu Z, Liu T, Wang Q. Double-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol/starch bioplastic with superior water-resistance and flame retardancy. Int J Biol Macromol 2024:136139. [PMID: 39357717 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.136139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 09/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/27/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024]
Abstract
The high water solubility and flammability of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) limits its further widespread use in areas such as bioplastic and green packaging. In this study, double-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol/starch bioplastics (named PDA) were fabricated using PVA, dialdehyde starch (DAS), and phytic acid (PA), resulting in a material with superior water resistance, flame retardancy, and excellent degradability. PA not only plays the role of catalyst for the chemical crosslinking but also as the physical crosslinker to form the intermolecular hydrogen bonds with PVA and DAS. This chemically and physically double cross-linked network structure results in PDA bioplastics with excellent toughness and water resistance. Specifically, the optimal formulation with 15 % PA content, designated as PDA15, exhibited a high toughness of 35.5 MJ/m3 and demonstrated prolonged shape retention in the boiling water. Additionally, PA also serves as a flame-retardant and antibacterial agent; the PDA15 achieved a high limit oxygen index (LOI) value of 40.0 % and passed the UL-94 V-0 rating without melt dripping, along with better degradability compared to pure PVA film. These outstanding performances make the PDA bioplastics highly promising for various applications, particularly in disposable plastics and laminated flexible packaging materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yu
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Guangdong Province, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiaobing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Guangdong Province, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zichen Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Guangdong Province, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jiawen Tan
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Guangdong Province, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Guangdong Province, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Rongxian Ou
- Institute of Biomass Engineering, Key Laboratory of Energy Plants Resource and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhenzhen Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China.
| | - Tao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Guangdong Province, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Qingwen Wang
- Institute of Biomass Engineering, Key Laboratory of Energy Plants Resource and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
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2
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Nan T, Chen Q, Zheng Z, Liang Y, Qin Y, Wang Y, Liu B, Cui D. Installing a Trigger to Upcycle High-Density Polyethylene. J Am Chem Soc 2024. [PMID: 39318075 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c08958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2024]
Abstract
Creating C═C bonds as "weak" sites in the stable C-C chains of polyethylene (PE) is an appealing strategy to promote sustainable development of the polyolefin industry. Compared to methods, such as dehydrogenation and postpolymerization modification, the copolymerization of ethylene (E) and butadiene (BD) should be a convenient and direct approach to introduce C═C bonds in PE, whereas it encounters problems in controlling the composition and regularity of the copolymer due to the mismatched activities and mechanisms between the two monomers. Herein, we report by employing the amidinate gadolinium complex, controllable E/BD copolymerization was achieved, where BD was incorporated in the uniformly discrete 1,4 mode. The obtained copolymer possesses the same physical, mechanical, processing, and antioxygen (aging at 100 °C for 28 days) properties as commercial high-density-PE, which, strikingly, were degraded by C═C bonds into α,ω-telechelic oligomers with narrow distribution. These degraded functional products were transferred to compatibilizers via atom-transfer radical polymerization or immortal ring-opening polymerization, achieving upcycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhao Nan
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Quan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Zhangfan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yuxin Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yufei Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yanhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Dongmei Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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3
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Conk RJ, Stahler JF, Shi JX, Yang J, Lefton NG, Brunn JN, Bell AT, Hartwig JF. Polyolefin waste to light olefins with ethylene and base-metal heterogeneous catalysts. Science 2024; 385:1322-1327. [PMID: 39208080 DOI: 10.1126/science.adq7316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The selective conversion of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and mixtures of these two polymers to form products with high volume demand is urgently needed because current methods suffer from low selectivity, produce large quantities of greenhouse gases, or rely on expensive, single-use catalysts. The isomerizing ethenolysis of unsaturated polyolefins could be an energetically and environmentally viable route to propylene and isobutylene; however, noble-metal homogeneous catalysts and an unsaturated polyolefin are currently required and the process has been limited to PE. We show that the simple combination of tungsten oxide on silica and sodium on gamma-alumina transforms PE, PP, or a mixture of the two, including postconsumer forms of these materials, to propylene or a mixture of propylene and isobutylene in greater than 90% yield at 320°C without the need for dehydrogenation of the starting polyolefins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Conk
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Division of Chemical Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jules F Stahler
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jake X Shi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Division of Chemical Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ji Yang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Natalie G Lefton
- Division of Chemical Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - John N Brunn
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Alexis T Bell
- Division of Chemical Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - John F Hartwig
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Division of Chemical Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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4
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Zhao B, Hu Z, Sun Y, Hajiayi R, Wang T, Jiao N. Selective Upcycling of Polyolefins into High-Value Nitrogenated Chemicals. J Am Chem Soc 2024. [PMID: 39241040 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c07965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/08/2024]
Abstract
The selective upcycling of polyolefins to create products of increased value has emerged as an innovative approach to carbon resource stewardship, drawing significant scientific and industrial interest. Although recent advancements in recycling technology have facilitated the direct conversion of polyolefins to hydrocarbons or oxygenated compounds, the synthesis of nitrogenated compounds from such waste polyolefins has not yet been disclosed. Herein, we demonstrate a novel approach for the upcycling of waste polyolefins by efficiently transforming a range of postconsumer plastic products into nitriles and amides. This process leverages the catalytic properties of manganese dioxide in combination with an inexpensive nitrogen source, urea, to make it both practical and economically viable. Our approach not only opens new avenues for the creation of nitrogenated chemicals from polyolefin waste but also underscores the critical importance of recycling and valorizing carbon resources originally derived from fossil fuels. This study provides a new upcycling strategy for the sustainable conversion of waste polyolefins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binzhi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Zhibin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yichen Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Rehemuhali Hajiayi
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Teng Wang
- College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Ning Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China
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5
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Arango-Daza JC, Rivero-Crespo MA. Multi-Catalytic Metal-Based Homogeneous-Heterogeneous Systems in Organic Chemistry. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202400443. [PMID: 38958991 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202400443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The combination of metal-based homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts in the same reaction media is a powerful, yet relatively unexplored approach in organic chemistry. This strategy can address important limitations associated with purely homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis such as the incompatibility of different catalytic species in solution, or the limited tunability of solid catalysts, respectively. Moreover, the facile reusability of the solid catalyst, contributes to increase the overall sustainability of the process. As a result, this semi-heterogeneous multi-catalytic approach has unlocked significant advances in organic chemistry, improving existing reactions and even enabling the discovery of novel transformations, exemplified by the formal alkane metathesis. This concept article aims to showcase the benefits of this strategy through the exploration of diverse relevant examples from the literature, hoping to spur research on new metal-based homogeneous-heterogeneous catalyst combinations that will result in reactivity challenging to achieve by conventional homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Camilo Arango-Daza
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, 114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability, Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, 114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Miguel A Rivero-Crespo
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, 114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability, Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, 114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
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6
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Sun J, Dong J, Gao L, Zhao YQ, Moon H, Scott SL. Catalytic Upcycling of Polyolefins. Chem Rev 2024; 124:9457-9579. [PMID: 39151127 PMCID: PMC11363024 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024]
Abstract
The large production volumes of commodity polyolefins (specifically, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and poly(vinyl chloride)), in conjunction with their low unit values and multitude of short-term uses, have resulted in a significant and pressing waste management challenge. Only a small fraction of these polyolefins is currently mechanically recycled, with the rest being incinerated, accumulating in landfills, or leaking into the natural environment. Since polyolefins are energy-rich materials, there is considerable interest in recouping some of their chemical value while simultaneously motivating more responsible end-of-life management. An emerging strategy is catalytic depolymerization, in which a portion of the C-C bonds in the polyolefin backbone is broken with the assistance of a catalyst and, in some cases, additional small molecule reagents. When the products are small molecules or materials with higher value in their own right, or as chemical feedstocks, the process is called upcycling. This review summarizes recent progress for four major catalytic upcycling strategies: hydrogenolysis, (hydro)cracking, tandem processes involving metathesis, and selective oxidation. Key considerations include macromolecular reaction mechanisms relative to small molecule mechanisms, catalyst design for macromolecular transformations, and the effect of process conditions on product selectivity. Metrics for describing polyolefin upcycling are critically evaluated, and an outlook for future advances is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiakai Sun
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, Santa
Barbara, California 93106-9510, United States
| | - Jinhu Dong
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5080, United
States
| | - Lijun Gao
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5080, United
States
| | - Yu-Quan Zhao
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, Santa
Barbara, California 93106-9510, United States
| | - Hyunjin Moon
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5080, United
States
| | - Susannah L. Scott
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, Santa
Barbara, California 93106-9510, United States
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5080, United
States
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7
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Su K, Gao T, Tung CH, Wu LZ. Photocatalytic Cracking of non-Biodegradable Plastics to Chemicals and Fuels. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202407464. [PMID: 38894633 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202407464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is worsening the living conditions on Earth, primarily due to the toxicity and stability of non-biodegradable plastics (NBPs). Photocatalytic cracking of NBPs is emerging as a promising way to cleave inert C-C bonds and abstract the carbon atoms from these wastes into valuable chemicals and fuels. However, controlling these processes is a huge challenge, ascribed to the complicated reactions of various NBPs. Herein, we summarize recent advances in the CO2 and carbon-radical-mediated photocatalytic cracking of NBPs, with an emphasis on the pivotal intermediates. The CO2-mediated cracking proceeded with indiscriminate C-H/C-C bond cleavage of NBPs and tandem photoreduction of CO2, while carbon-radical-mediated cracking was realized by the prior activation of C-H bonds for selective C-C bond cleavage of NBPs. Catalytic generation and conversion of different intermediates greatly depend on the kinds of active species and the structure of photocatalysts under irradiation. Meanwhile, the fate of a specific intermediate is compared with small molecule activation to reveal the key problems in the cracking of NBPs. Finally, the challenges and potential directions are discussed to improve the overall efficiency in the photocatalytic cracking of NBPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyi Su
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry & University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Tengshijie Gao
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry & University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Chen-Ho Tung
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry & University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Li-Zhu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry & University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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8
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Lu L, Luo J, Montag M, Diskin-Posner Y, Milstein D. Polyoxymethylene Upcycling into Methanol and Methyl Groups Catalyzed by a Manganese Pincer Complex. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:22017-22026. [PMID: 39046806 PMCID: PMC11311220 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c07468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Polyoxymethylene (POM) is a commonly used engineering thermoplastic, but its recycling by conventional means, i.e., mechanical recycling, is not practiced to any meaningful extent, due to technical limitations. Instead, waste POM is typically incinerated or disposed in landfills, where it becomes a persistent environmental pollutant. An attractive alternative to mechanical recycling is upcycling, namely, the conversion of waste POM into value-added chemicals, but this has received very little attention. Herein, we report the upcycling of POM into useful chemicals through three different reactions, all of which are efficiently catalyzed by a single pincer complex of earth-abundant manganese. One method involves hydrogenation of POM into methanol using H2 gas as the only reagent, whereas another method converts POM into methanol and CO2 through a one-pot process comprising acidolysis followed by Mn-catalyzed disproportionation. The third method utilizes POM as a reagent for the methylation of ketones and amines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Lu
- Department
of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Jie Luo
- Department
of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Michael Montag
- Department
of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Yael Diskin-Posner
- Department
of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute
of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - David Milstein
- Department
of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
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9
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Castro J, Westworth X, Shrestha R, Yokoyama K, Guan Z. Efficient and Robust Dynamic Crosslinking for Compatibilizing Immiscible Mixed Plastics through In Situ Generated Singlet Nitrenes. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2406203. [PMID: 38848581 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202406203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Creating a sustainable economy for plastics demands the exploration of new strategies for efficient management of mixed plastic waste. The inherent incompatibility of different plastics poses a major challenge in plastic mechanical recycling, resulting in phase-separated materials with inferior mechanical properties. Here, this study presents a robust and efficient dynamic crosslinking chemistry that effectively compatibilizes mixed plastics. Composed of aromatic sulfonyl azides, the dynamic crosslinker shows high thermal stability and generates singlet nitrene species in situ during solvent-free melt-extrusion, effectively promoting C─H insertion across diverse plastics. This new method demonstrates successful compatibilization of binary polymer blends and model mixed plastics, enhancing mechanical performance and improving phase morphology. It holds promise for managing mixed plastic waste, supporting a more sustainable lifecycle for plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Castro
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Xavier Westworth
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Roman Shrestha
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Kosuke Yokoyama
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Zhibin Guan
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
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10
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Lu B, Takahashi K, Zhou J, Nakagawa S, Yamamoto Y, Katashima T, Yoshie N, Nozaki K. Mild Catalytic Degradation of Crystalline Polyethylene Units in a Solid State Assisted by Carboxylic Acid Groups. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:19599-19608. [PMID: 38952064 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c07458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Crystalline polyethylenes bearing carboxylic acid groups in the main chain were successfully degraded with a Ce catalyst and visible light. The reaction proceeds in a crystalline solid state without swelling in acetonitrile or water at a reaction temperature as low as 60 or 80 °C, employing dioxygen in air as the only stoichiometric reactant with nearly quantitative recovery of carbon atoms. Heterogeneous features of the reaction allowed us to reveal a dynamic morphological change of polymer crystals during the degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Lu
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Kohei Takahashi
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Jian Zhou
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
| | - Shintaro Nakagawa
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
| | - Yuta Yamamoto
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Takuya Katashima
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Naoko Yoshie
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
| | - Kyoko Nozaki
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
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11
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Zhang W, Khare R, Kim S, Hale L, Hu W, Yuan C, Sheng Y, Zhang P, Wahl L, Mai J, Yang B, Gutiérrez OY, Ray D, Fulton J, Camaioni DM, Hu J, Wang H, Lee MS, Lercher JA. Active species in chloroaluminate ionic liquids catalyzing low-temperature polyolefin deconstruction. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5785. [PMID: 38987244 PMCID: PMC11237162 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49827-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chloroaluminate ionic liquids selectively transform (waste) polyolefins into gasoline-range alkanes through tandem cracking-alkylation at temperatures below 100 °C. Further improvement of this process necessitates a deep understanding of the nature of the catalytically active species and the correlated performance in the catalyzing critical reactions for the tandem polyolefin deconstruction with isoalkanes at low temperatures. Here, we address this requirement by determining the nuclearity of the chloroaluminate ions and their interactions with reaction intermediates, combining in situ 27Al magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, in situ Raman spectroscopy, Al K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy, and catalytic activity measurement. Cracking and alkylation are facilitated by carbenium ions initiated by AlCl3-tert-butyl chloride (TBC) adducts, which are formed by the dissociation of Al2Cl7- in the presence of TBC. The carbenium ions activate the alkane polymer strands and advance the alkylation cycle through multiple hydride transfer reactions. In situ 1H NMR and operando infrared spectroscopy demonstrate that the cracking and alkylation processes occur synchronously; alkenes formed during cracking are rapidly incorporated into the carbenium ion-mediated alkylation cycle. The conclusions are further supported by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations coupled with an enhanced sampling method, and model experiments using n-hexadecane as a feed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, Garching, Germany.
| | - Rachit Khare
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, Garching, Germany
| | - Sungmin Kim
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Lillian Hale
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Wenda Hu
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Chunlin Yuan
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, Garching, Germany
| | - Yaoci Sheng
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, Garching, Germany
| | - Peiran Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, Garching, Germany
| | - Lennart Wahl
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, Garching, Germany
| | - Jiande Mai
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Boda Yang
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Oliver Y Gutiérrez
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Debmalya Ray
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - John Fulton
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Donald M Camaioni
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Jianzhi Hu
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
- The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Huamin Wang
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Mal-Soon Lee
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Johannes A Lercher
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, Garching, Germany.
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12
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Centeno-Vega I, Megías-Sayago C, Ivanova S. New insights for valorization of polyolefins/light alkanes: catalytic dehydrogenation of n-alkanes by immobilized pincer-iridium complexes. Dalton Trans 2024; 53:11216-11227. [PMID: 38887859 DOI: 10.1039/d4dt00847b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
This scientific review delves into the innovative realm of polyolefins/light alkanes valorization through their catalytic dehydrogenation employing pincer-ligated iridium organometallic complexes. These widely studied catalysts exhibit outstanding properties, although the intrinsic characteristics of homogeneous catalysis (such as challenging product-catalyst separation, poor applicability to continuous-flow processes and low recyclability) limit their activity and industrial application, as well as their thermal stability. Through the immobilization of complexes on inorganic supports, these downsides have been bypassed, harnessing the true potential of these catalysts, affording more selective and stable catalysts in addition to facilitating their implementation in industrial processes. The findings described herein contribute to the advancement in the understanding of catalytic processes in hydrocarbon transformations, offering promising avenues for sustainable and selective production of valuable chemical intermediates from readily available feedstocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Centeno-Vega
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas and Centro de Innovación en Química Avanzada (ORFEO-CINQA), Centro Mixto CSIC-Universidad de Sevilla, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Cristina Megías-Sayago
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas and Centro de Innovación en Química Avanzada (ORFEO-CINQA), Centro Mixto CSIC-Universidad de Sevilla, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Svetlana Ivanova
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica e Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla, Centro Mixto CSIC-Universidad de Sevilla, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
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13
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Sathe D, Yoon S, Wang Z, Chen H, Wang J. Deconstruction of Polymers through Olefin Metathesis. Chem Rev 2024; 124:7007-7044. [PMID: 38787934 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
The consumption of synthetic polymers has ballooned; so has the amount of post-consumer waste generated. The current polymer economy, however, is largely linear with most of the post-consumer waste being either landfilled or incinerated. The lack of recycling, together with the sizable carbon footprint of the polymer industry, has led to major negative environmental impacts. Over the past few years, chemical recycling technologies have gained significant traction as a possible technological route to tackle these challenges. In this regard, olefin metathesis, with its versatility and ease of operation, has emerged as an attractive tool. Here, we discuss the developments in olefin-metathesis-based chemical recycling technologies, including the development of new materials and the application of olefin metathesis to the recycling of commercial materials. We delve into structure-reactivity relationships in the context of polymerization-depolymerization behavior, how experimental conditions influence deconstruction outcomes, and the reaction pathways underlying these approaches. We also look at the current hurdles in adopting these technologies and relevant future directions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devavrat Sathe
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Seiyoung Yoon
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Zeyu Wang
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Hanlin Chen
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Junpeng Wang
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
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14
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Cen Z, Han X, Lin L, Yang S, Han W, Wen W, Yuan W, Dong M, Ma Z, Li F, Ke Y, Dong J, Zhang J, Liu S, Li J, Li Q, Wu N, Xiang J, Wu H, Cai L, Hou Y, Cheng Y, Daemen LL, Ramirez-Cuesta AJ, Ferrer P, Grinter DC, Held G, Liu Y, Han B. Upcycling of polyethylene to gasoline through a self-supplied hydrogen strategy in a layered self-pillared zeolite. Nat Chem 2024; 16:871-880. [PMID: 38594366 PMCID: PMC11164678 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-024-01506-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Conversion of plastic wastes to valuable carbon resources without using noble metal catalysts or external hydrogen remains a challenging task. Here we report a layered self-pillared zeolite that enables the conversion of polyethylene to gasoline with a remarkable selectivity of 99% and yields of >80% in 4 h at 240 °C. The liquid product is primarily composed of branched alkanes (selectivity of 72%), affording a high research octane number of 88.0 that is comparable to commercial gasoline (86.6). In situ inelastic neutron scattering, small-angle neutron scattering, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and isotope-labelling experiments reveal that the activation of polyethylene is promoted by the open framework tri-coordinated Al sites of the zeolite, followed by β-scission and isomerization on Brönsted acids sites, accompanied by hydride transfer over open framework tri-coordinated Al sites through a self-supplied hydrogen pathway to yield selectivity to branched alkanes. This study shows the potential of layered zeolite materials in enabling the upcycling of plastic wastes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Cen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Han
- College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Longfei Lin
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Sihai Yang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Wanying Han
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weilong Wen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenli Yuan
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Minghua Dong
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiye Ma
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yubin Ke
- China Spallation Neutron Source, Institute of High Energy Physics, Dongguan, China
| | - Juncai Dong
- Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuhu Liu
- Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jialiang Li
- Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Li
- Center for Physicochemical Analysis Measurements, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ningning Wu
- Center for Physicochemical Analysis Measurements, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Junfeng Xiang
- Center for Physicochemical Analysis Measurements, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Wu
- SINOPEC Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, Beijing, China
| | - Lile Cai
- SINOPEC Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, Beijing, China
| | - Yanbo Hou
- SINOPEC Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, Beijing, China
| | - Yongqiang Cheng
- Neutron Scattering Division, Neutron Sciences Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Luke L Daemen
- Neutron Scattering Division, Neutron Sciences Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Anibal J Ramirez-Cuesta
- Neutron Scattering Division, Neutron Sciences Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Pilar Ferrer
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK
| | - David C Grinter
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK
| | - Georg Held
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK
| | - Yueming Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Buxing Han
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
- Institute of Eco-Chongming, Shanghai, China.
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15
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Zhang W, Yao H, Khare R, Zhang P, Yang B, Hu W, Ray D, Hu J, Camaioni DM, Wang H, Kim S, Lee MS, Sarazen ML, Chen JG, Lercher JA. Chloride and Hydride Transfer as Keys to Catalytic Upcycling of Polyethylene into Liquid Alkanes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202319580. [PMID: 38433092 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202319580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Transforming polyolefin waste into liquid alkanes through tandem cracking-alkylation reactions catalyzed by Lewis-acid chlorides offers an efficient route for single-step plastic upcycling. Lewis acids in dichloromethane establish a polar environment that stabilizes carbenium ion intermediates and catalyzes hydride transfer, enabling breaking of polyethylene C-C bonds and forming C-C bonds in alkylation. Here, we show that efficient and selective deconstruction of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) to liquid alkanes is achieved with anhydrous aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and gallium chloride (GaCl3). Already at 60 °C, complete LDPE conversion was achieved, while maintaining the selectivity for gasoline-range liquid alkanes over 70 %. AlCl3 showed an exceptional conversion rate of 5000g L D P E m o l c a t - 1 h - 1 ${{{\rm g}}_{{\rm L}{\rm D}{\rm P}{\rm E}}{{\rm \ }{\rm m}{\rm o}{\rm l}}_{{\rm c}{\rm a}{\rm t}}^{-1}{{\rm \ }{\rm h}}^{-1}}$ , surpassing other Lewis acid catalysts by two orders of magnitude. Through kinetic and mechanistic studies, we show that the rates of LDPE conversion do not correlate directly with the intrinsic strength of the Lewis acids or steric constraints that may limit the polymer to access the Lewis acid sites. Instead, the rates for the tandem processes of cracking and alkylation are primarily governed by the rates of initiation of carbenium ions and the subsequent intermolecular hydride transfer. Both jointly control the relative rates of cracking and alkylation, thereby determining the overall conversion and selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
| | - Hai Yao
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
| | - Rachit Khare
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
| | - Peiran Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
| | - Boda Yang
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
| | - Wenda Hu
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
| | - Debmalya Ray
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
| | - Jianzhi Hu
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
- The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, 99164, USA
| | - Donald M Camaioni
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
| | - Huamin Wang
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
| | - Sungmin Kim
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
| | - Mal-Soon Lee
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
| | - Michele L Sarazen
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 08544, USA
| | - Jingguang G Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, 10027, USA
| | - Johannes A Lercher
- Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
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16
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Ko K, Lundberg DJ, Johnson AM, Johnson JA. Mechanism-Guided Discovery of Cleavable Comonomers for Backbone Deconstructable Poly(methyl methacrylate). J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:9142-9154. [PMID: 38526229 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c14554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
The development of cleavable comonomers (CCs) with suitable copolymerization reactivity paves the way for the introduction of backbone deconstructability into polymers. Recent advancements in thionolactone-based CCs, exemplified by dibenzo[c,e]-oxepine-5(7H)-thione (DOT), have opened promising avenues for the selective deconstruction of multiple classes of vinyl polymers, including polyacrylates, polyacrylamides, and polystyrenics. To date, however, no thionolactone CC has been shown to copolymerize with methacrylates to an appreciable extent to enable polymer deconstruction. Here, we overcome this challenge through the design of a new class of benzyl-functionalized thionolactones (bDOTs). Guided by detailed mechanistic analyses, we find that the introduction of radical-stabilizing substituents to bDOTs enables markedly increased and tunable copolymerization reactivity with methyl methacrylate (MMA). Through iterative optimizations of the molecular structure, a specific bDOT, F-p-CF3PhDOT, is discovered to copolymerize efficiently with MMA. High molar mass deconstructable PMMA-based copolymers (dPMMA, Mn > 120 kDa) with low percentages of F-p-CF3PhDOT (1.8 and 3.8 mol%) are prepared using industrially relevant bulk free radical copolymerization conditions. The thermomechanical properties of dPMMA are similar to PMMA; however, the former is shown to degrade into low molar mass fragments (<6.5 kDa) under mild aminolysis conditions. This work presents the first example of a radical ring-opening CC capable of nearly random copolymerization with MMA without the possibility of cross-linking and provides a workflow for the mechanism-guided design of deconstructable copolymers in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwangwook Ko
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - David J Lundberg
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Alayna M Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Jeremiah A Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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17
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Wimberger L, Ng G, Boyer C. Light-driven polymer recycling to monomers and small molecules. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2510. [PMID: 38509090 PMCID: PMC10954676 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46656-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Only a small proportion of global plastic waste is recycled, of which most is mechanically recycled into lower quality materials. The alternative, chemical recycling, enables renewed production of pristine materials, but generally comes at a high energy cost, particularly for processes like pyrolysis. This review focuses on light-driven approaches for chemically recycling and upcycling plastic waste, with emphasis on reduced energy consumption and selective transformations not achievable with heat-driven methods. We focus on challenging to recycle backbone structures composed of mainly C‒C bonds, which lack functional groups i.e., esters or amides, that facilitate chemical recycling e.g., by solvolysis. We discuss the use of light, either in conjunction with heat to drive depolymerization to monomers or via photocatalysis to transform polymers into valuable small molecules. The structural prerequisites for these approaches are outlined, highlighting their advantages as well as limitations. We conclude with an outlook, addressing key challenges, opportunities, and provide guidelines for future photocatalyst (PC) development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Wimberger
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design and School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gervase Ng
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design and School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design and School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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18
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Schwab S, Baur M, Nelson TF, Mecking S. Synthesis and Deconstruction of Polyethylene-type Materials. Chem Rev 2024; 124:2327-2351. [PMID: 38408312 PMCID: PMC10941192 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Polyethylene deconstruction to reusable smaller molecules is hindered by the chemical inertness of its hydrocarbon chains. Pyrolysis and related approaches commonly require high temperatures, are energy-intensive, and yield mixtures of multiple classes of compounds. Selective cleavage reactions under mild conditions (
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon
T. Schwab
- Chair of Chemical Materials Science,
Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Maximilian Baur
- Chair of Chemical Materials Science,
Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Taylor F. Nelson
- Chair of Chemical Materials Science,
Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Stefan Mecking
- Chair of Chemical Materials Science,
Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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19
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Lv H, Huang F, Zhang F. Upcycling Waste Plastics with a C-C Backbone by Heterogeneous Catalysis. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:5077-5089. [PMID: 38358312 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Plastics with an inert carbon-carbon (C-C) backbone, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), are the most widely used types of plastic in human activities. However, many of these polymers were directly discarded in nature after use, and few were appropriately recycled. This not only threatens the natural environment but also leads to the waste of carbon resources. Conventional chemical recycling of these plastics, including pyrolysis and catalytic cracking, requires a high energy input due to the chemical inertness of C-C bonds and C-H bonds and leads to complex product distribution. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the development of catalysts and the introduction of small molecules as additional coreactants, which could potentially overcome these challenges. In this Review, we summarize and highlight catalytic strategies that address these issues in upcycling C-C backbone plastics with small molecules, particularly in heterogeneous catalysis. We believe that this review will inspire the development of upcycling methods for C-C backbone plastics using small molecules and heterogeneous catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huidong Lv
- National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan People's Republic of China
| | - Fei Huang
- National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan People's Republic of China
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20
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Lamb JV, Lee YH, Sun J, Byron C, Uppuluri R, Kennedy RM, Meng C, Behera RK, Wang YY, Qi L, Sadow AD, Huang W, Ferrandon MS, Scott SL, Poeppelmeier KR, Abu-Omar MM, Delferro M. Supported Platinum Nanoparticles Catalyzed Carbon-Carbon Bond Cleavage of Polyolefins: Role of the Oxide Support Acidity. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:11361-11376. [PMID: 38393744 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c15350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Supported platinum nanoparticle catalysts are known to convert polyolefins to high-quality liquid hydrocarbons using hydrogen under relatively mild conditions. To date, few studies using platinum grafted onto various metal oxide (MxOy) supports have been undertaken to understand the role of the acidity of the oxide support in the carbon-carbon bond cleavage of polyethylene under consistent catalytic conditions. Specifically, two Pt/MxOy catalysts (MxOy = SrTiO3 and SiO2-Al2O3; Al = 3.0 wt %, target Pt loading 2 wt % Pt ∼1.5 nm), under identical catalytic polyethylene hydrogenolysis conditions (T = 300 °C, P(H2) = 170 psi, t = 24 h; Mw = ∼3,800 g/mol, Mn = ∼1,100 g/mol, Đ = 3.45, Nbranch/100C = 1.0), yielded a narrow distribution of hydrocarbons with molecular weights in the range of lubricants (Mw = < 600 g/mol; Mn < 400 g/mol; Đ = 1.5). While Pt/SrTiO3 formed saturated hydrocarbons with negligible branching, Pt/SiO2-Al2O3 formed partially unsaturated hydrocarbons (<1 mol % alkenes and ∼4 mol % alkyl aromatics) with increased branch density (Nbranch/100C = 5.5). Further investigations suggest evidence for a competitive hydrocracking mechanism occurring alongside hydrogenolysis, stemming from the increased acidity of Pt/SiO2-Al2O3 compared to Pt/SrTiO3. Additionally, the products of these polymer deconstruction reactions were found to be independent of the polyethylene feedstock, allowing the potential to upcycle polyethylenes with various properties into a value-added product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica V Lamb
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Yu-Hsuan Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Jiakai Sun
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Carly Byron
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Ritesh Uppuluri
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Robert M Kennedy
- Aeternal Upcycling, Inc., Chicago, Illinois 60640, United States
| | - Chao Meng
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Ranjan K Behera
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Yi-Yu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Long Qi
- Chemical and Biological Sciences Division, Ames National Laboratory, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Aaron D Sadow
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
- Chemical and Biological Sciences Division, Ames National Laboratory, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Wenyu Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
- Chemical and Biological Sciences Division, Ames National Laboratory, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Magali S Ferrandon
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Susannah L Scott
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Kenneth R Poeppelmeier
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Mahdi M Abu-Omar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Massimiliano Delferro
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
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21
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Zhao B, Tan H, Yang J, Zhang X, Yu Z, Sun H, Wei J, Zhao X, Zhang Y, Chen L, Yang D, Deng J, Fu Y, Huang Z, Jiao N. Catalytic conversion of mixed polyolefins under mild atmospheric pressure. Innovation (N Y) 2024; 5:100586. [PMID: 38414518 PMCID: PMC10897897 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2024.100586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The chemical recycling of polyolefin presents a considerable challenge, especially as upcycling methods struggle with the reality that plastic wastes typically consist of mixtures of polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polypropylene (PP). We report a catalytic aerobic oxidative approach for polyolefins upcycling with the corresponding carboxylic acids as the product. This method encompasses three key innovations. First, it operates under atmospheric pressure and mild conditions, using O2 or air as the oxidant. Second, it is compatible with high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, PS, PP, and their blends. Third, it uses an economical and recoverable metal catalyst. It has been demonstrated that this approach can efficiently degrade mixed wastes of plastic bags, bottles, masks, and foam boxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binzhi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hui Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Biomass Clean Energy, iChEM, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Zidi Yu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Hanli Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jialiang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xinyi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yufeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Lili Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Dali Yang
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jin Deng
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Biomass Clean Energy, iChEM, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yao Fu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Biomass Clean Energy, iChEM, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Zheng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ning Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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22
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Han XW, Zhang X, Zhou Y, Maimaitiming A, Sun XL, Gao Y, Li P, Zhu B, Chen EYX, Kuang X, Tang Y. Circular olefin copolymers made de novo from ethylene and α-olefins. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1462. [PMID: 38368405 PMCID: PMC10874424 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45219-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Ethylene/α-olefin copolymers are produced in huge scale and widely used, but their after-use disposal has caused plastic pollution problems. Their chemical inertness made chemical re/upcycling difficult. Ideally, PE materials should be made de novo to have a circular closed-loop lifecycle. However, synthesis of circular ethylene/α-olefin copolymers, including high-volume, linear low-density PE as well as high-value olefin elastomers and block copolymers, presents a particular challenge due to difficulties in introducing branches while simultaneously installing chemical recyclability and directly using industrial ethylene and α-olefin feedstocks. Here we show that coupling of industrial coordination copolymerization of ethylene and α-olefins with a designed functionalized chain-transfer agent, followed by modular assembly of the resulting AB telechelic polyolefin building blocks by polycondensation, affords a series of ester-linked PE-based copolymers. These new materials not only retain thermomechanical properties of PE-based materials but also exhibit full chemical circularity via simple transesterification and markedly enhanced adhesion to polar surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing-Wang Han
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Youyun Zhou
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Aizezi Maimaitiming
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiu-Li Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yanshan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Peizhi Li
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Boyu Zhu
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Eugene Y-X Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1872, USA.
| | - Xiaokang Kuang
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yong Tang
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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23
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Lu X, Xie P, Li X, Li T, Sun J. Acid-Cleavable Aromatic Polymers for the Fabrication of Closed-Loop Recyclable Plastics with High Mechanical Strength and Excellent Chemical Resistance. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202316453. [PMID: 38130147 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202316453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Although closed-loop recycling of dynamic covalent bond-based plastics does not require catalysts, their mechanical strength and chemical stability remain a major concern. In this study, closed-loop recyclable poly(aryl imine) (PAI) plastics with high mechanical strength and excellent chemical resistance are fabricated by copolymerizing aromatic amines and aromatic aldehydes through dynamic imine bonds. The resulting PAI plastic with a tensile strength of 58.2 MPa exhibits excellent chemical resistance and mechanical stability in acidic and basic aqueous solutions and various organic solvents. The PAI plastics can be depolymerized in a mixed solvent of tetrahydrofuran (THF)/HCl aqueous solution through the dissociation of imine bonds, and the monomers can be facilely recovered with high purity and isolated yields due to the solubility difference between the aromatic amines and aromatic aldehydes in selective solvents. The efficient closed-loop recycling of the PAI plastic can also be realized through monomer conversion because the hydrolysis of the aromatic aldehydes generates aromatic amines. The recovered monomers can be used to re-fabricate original PAI plastics. This PAI plastic can be selectively recovered from complicated mixed polymer waste streams due to the mild depolymerization conditions of the PAI plastic and its high stability in most organic solvents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Peng Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Tianqi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Junqi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
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24
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Ran H, Zhang S, Ni W, Jing Y. Precise activation of C-C bonds for recycling and upcycling of plastics. Chem Sci 2024; 15:795-831. [PMID: 38239692 PMCID: PMC10793209 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05701a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid accumulation of plastic waste has led to a severe environmental crisis and a noticeable imbalance between manufacturing and recycling. Fortunately, chemical upgradation of plastic waste holds substantial promise for addressing these challenges posed by white pollution. During plastic upcycling and recycling, the key challenge is to activate and cleave the inert C-C bonds in plastic waste. Therefore, this perspective delves deeper into the upcycling and recycling of polyolefins from the angle of C-C activation-cleavage. We illustrate the importance of C-C bond activation in polyolefin depolymerization and integrate molecular-level catalysis, active site modulation, reaction networks and mechanisms to achieve precise activation-cleavage of C-C bonds. Notably, we draw potential inspiration from the accumulated wisdom of related fields, such as C-C bond activation in lignin chemistry, alkane dehydrogenation chemistry, C-Cl bond activation in CVOC removal, and C-H bond activation, to influence the landscape of plastic degradation through cross-disciplinary perspectives. Consequently, this perspective offers better insights into existing catalytic technologies and unveils new prospects for future advancements in recycling and upcycling of plastic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongshun Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China
- Institute for the Environment and Health, Nanjing University Suzhou Campus Suzhou 215163 China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China
- Institute for the Environment and Health, Nanjing University Suzhou Campus Suzhou 215163 China
| | - Wenyi Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China
- Institute for the Environment and Health, Nanjing University Suzhou Campus Suzhou 215163 China
| | - Yaxuan Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China
- Institute for the Environment and Health, Nanjing University Suzhou Campus Suzhou 215163 China
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25
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Jadhav HS, Fulke AB, Dasari LN, Dalai A, Haridevi CK. Plastic bio-mitigation by Pseudomonas mendocina ABF786 and simultaneous conversion of its CO 2 byproduct to microalgal biodiesel. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 391:129952. [PMID: 37925087 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Bio-mitigation of plastics by microorganisms generates carbon dioxide (CO2) that can be utilized for algal biomass generation. Pseudomonas mendocina ABF786, reportedly the most efficient plastic-degrading bacteria, was screened using the modified most probable number technique. This study highlights the use of an integrative prototype for the production of microalgal biomass (Chlorella vulgaris) in combination with bio-mitigation of plastics, which serves a dual purpose: (i) increased plastic-degradation capability by microorganisms (53%-85% increase in plastic weight loss) due to removal of CO2 feedback inhibition and (ii) increased algal biomass generation (200%-237%) due to supply of extra CO2 from plastic degradation to the algal cultivation flask. Whole-genome sequencing and functional annotation confirmed that all the genes involved in the mineralization of plastic to CO2 are present within the genome of P. mendocina ABF786. Using two or more microbial cultures for remediation may increase the process efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshal S Jadhav
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Four Bungalows, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400053, Maharashtra, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Abhay B Fulke
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Four Bungalows, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400053, Maharashtra, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| | - Laxman N Dasari
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University, Panvel, Navi Mumbai 410206, India
| | - Abhishek Dalai
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Four Bungalows, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400053, Maharashtra, India
| | - C K Haridevi
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Four Bungalows, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400053, Maharashtra, India
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26
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Galan NJ, Cobbold BE, Cromer CE, Brantley JN. Macromolecular Photoediting Using Single-Electron Logic. ACS Macro Lett 2023; 12:1623-1628. [PMID: 37962989 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Accessing the chemistry of reactive intermediates under mild conditions has significantly expanded the available chemical space for molecular transformations. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the context of photoredox catalysis. Despite abundant literature precedents for using this powerful methodology to build complex targets, there are comparatively few reports that leverage photoredox catalysis for macromolecular editing. Here, we report a mild photoredox approach that enables both the functionalization and degradation of polyalkenamers to valuable feedstocks. Irradiation with visible light (including natural sunlight) in the presence of a pyrillium photoredox catalyst promoted facile chain scission in a variety of substrates. This metal-free approach transformed high molar mass materials (>300 kDa) to low molar mass species (<15 kDa) within 10 min. Moreover, we could completely degrade macromolecules into a range of useful targets (C16-C29 species) within 96 h. Mechanistic and kinetic experiments were carried out to understand this reactivity, which could be coupled with hydrofunctionalizations to create tailored products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Galan
- The Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Boris E Cobbold
- The Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Chase E Cromer
- The Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Johnathan N Brantley
- The Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
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27
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Kang Q, Chu M, Xu P, Wang X, Wang S, Cao M, Ivasenko O, Sham TK, Zhang Q, Sun Q, Chen J. Entropy Confinement Promotes Hydrogenolysis Activity for Polyethylene Upcycling. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202313174. [PMID: 37799095 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202313174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Chemical upcycling that catalyzes waste plastics back to high-purity chemicals holds great promise in end-of-life plastics valorization. One of the main challenges in this process is the thermodynamic limitations imposed by the high intrinsic entropy of polymer chains, which makes their adsorption on catalysts unfavorable and the transition state unstable. Here, we overcome this challenge by inducing the catalytic reaction inside mesoporous channels, which possess a strong confined ability to polymer chains, allowing for stabilization of the transition state. This approach involves the synthesis of p-Ru/SBA catalysts, in which Ru nanoparticles are uniformly distributed within the channels of an SBA-15 support, using a precise impregnation method. The unique design of the p-Ru/SBA catalyst has demonstrated significant improvements in catalytic performance for the conversion of polyethylene into high-value liquid fuels, particularly diesel. The catalyst achieved a high solid conversion rate of 1106 g ⋅ gRu -1 ⋅ h-1 at 230 °C. Comparatively, this catalytic activity is 4.9 times higher than that of a control catalyst, Ru/SiO2 , and 14.0 times higher than that of a commercial catalyst, Ru/C, at 240 °C. This remarkable catalytic activity opens up immense opportunities for the chemical upcycling of waste plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyun Kang
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Joint International Research Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Mingyu Chu
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Joint International Research Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Panpan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Advanced Materials Division, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Xuchun Wang
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Joint International Research Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
- Department of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Shiqi Wang
- Innovation Center for Chemical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P. R. China
| | - Muhan Cao
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Joint International Research Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Oleksandr Ivasenko
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Joint International Research Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Tsun-Kong Sham
- Department of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Qiao Zhang
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Joint International Research Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Qiming Sun
- Innovation Center for Chemical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P. R. China
| | - Jinxing Chen
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Joint International Research Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
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28
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Bai X, Aireddy DR, Roy A, Ding K. Solvent-Free Depolymerization of Plastic Waste Enabled by Plastic-Catalyst Interfacial Engineering. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202309949. [PMID: 37775978 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202309949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Depolymerization of condensation polymers by chemolysis often suffers from the large usage of solvents and homogeneous catalysts such as acids, bases, and metal salts. The catalytic efficiency of heterogeneous catalysts is largely constrained by the poor interfacial contact between solid catalysts and solid plastics below melting points. We report here our discovery of autogenous heterogeneous catalyst layer on polyethylene terephthalate surfaces during the generally believed homogeneous catalytic depolymerization process. Inspired by the "contact mass" concept in industrial chlorosilane production, we further demonstrate that the construction of plastic-catalyst solid-solid interfaces enables solvent-free depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate by vapor phase methanolysis at relatively low temperatures. Trace amounts of earth-abundant element (zinc) introduced by electrostatic adsorption is sufficient for catalyzing the depolymerization. The concept of plastic-catalyst contact mass interfacial catalysis might inspire new pathways for tackling plastic waste problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshen Bai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Divakar R Aireddy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Amitava Roy
- Center for Advanced Microstructures & Devices, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
| | - Kunlun Ding
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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29
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Johnson AM, Johnson JA. Thermally Robust yet Deconstructable and Chemically Recyclable High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)-Like Materials Based on Si-O Bonds. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023:e202315085. [PMID: 37903133 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202315085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Polyethylene (PE) is the most widely produced synthetic polymer. By installing chemically cleavable bonds into the backbone of PE, it is possible to produce chemically deconstructable PE derivatives; to date, however, such designs have primarily relied on carbonyl- and olefin-related functional groups. Bifunctional silyl ethers (BSEs; SiR2 (OR'2 )) could expand the functional scope of PE mimics as they possess strong Si-O bonds and facile chemical tunability. Here, we report BSE-containing high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-like materials synthesized through a one-pot catalytic ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and hydrogenation sequence. The crystallinity of these materials can be adjusted by varying the BSE concentration or the steric bulk of the Si-substituents, providing handles to control thermomechanical properties. Two methods for chemical recycling of HDPE mimics are introduced, including a circular approach that leverages acid-catalyzed Si-O bond exchange with 1-propanol. Additionally, despite the fact that the starting HDPE mimics were synthesized by chain-growth polymerization (ROMP), we show that it is possible to recover the molar mass and dispersity of recycled HDPE products using step-growth Si-O bond formation or exchange, generating high molecular weight recycled HDPE products with mechanical properties similar to commercial HDPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alayna M Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jeremiah A Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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30
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Zhao Y, Rettner EM, Harry KL, Hu Z, Miscall J, Rorrer NA, Miyake GM. Chemically recyclable polyolefin-like multiblock polymers. Science 2023; 382:310-314. [PMID: 37856598 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh3353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Polyolefins are the most important and largest volume plastics produced. Unfortunately, the enormous use of plastics and lack of effective disposal or recycling options have created a plastic waste catastrophe. In this work, we report an approach to create chemically recyclable polyolefin-like materials with diverse mechanical properties through the construction of multiblock polymers from hard and soft oligomeric building blocks synthesized with ruthenium-mediated ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cyclooctenes. The multiblock polymers exhibit broad mechanical properties, spanning elastomers to plastomers to thermoplastics, while integrating a high melting transition temperature (Tm) and low glass transition temperature (Tg), making them suitable for use across diverse applications (Tm as high as 128°C and Tg as low as -60°C). After use, the different plastics can be combined and efficiently deconstructed back to the fundamental hard and soft building blocks for separation and repolymerization to realize a closed-loop recycling process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yucheng Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Emma M Rettner
- School of Advanced Materials Discovery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Katherine L Harry
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Zhitao Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Joel Miscall
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Nicholas A Rorrer
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Garret M Miyake
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
- School of Advanced Materials Discovery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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31
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Munyaneza NE, Posada C, Xu Z, De Altin Popiolek V, Paddock G, McKee C, Liu G. A Generic Platform for Upcycling Polystyrene to Aryl Ketones and Organosulfur Compounds. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202307042. [PMID: 37439282 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202307042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Polystyrene (PS) is one of the least recycled large-volume commodity plastics due to bulkiness of foam products and associated contaminants. PS recycling is also severely hampered by the lack of financial incentive, limited versatility, and poor selectivity of existing methods. To this end, herein we report a thermochemical recycling strategy of "degradation-upcycling" to synthesize a library of high-value aromatic chemicals from PS wastes with high versatility and selectivity. Two cascade reactions are selected to first degrade PS to benzene under mild temperatures, followed by the derivatization thereof utilizing a variety of acyl/alkyl and sulfinyl chloride additives. To demonstrate the versatility, nine ketones and sulfides of cosmetic and pharmaceutical relevance were prepared, including propiophenone, benzophenone, and diphenyl sulfide. The approach is also amenable to sophisticated upcycling reaction designs and can produce desired products stepwise. The facile and versatile approach will provide a scalable and profitable methodology for upcycling PS waste into value-added chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Posada
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Zhen Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Vincenzo De Altin Popiolek
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Griffin Paddock
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Charles McKee
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Academy of Integrated Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Guoliang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Academy of Integrated Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Macromolecules Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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32
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Zou L, Xu R, Wang H, Wang Z, Sun Y, Li M. Chemical recycling of polyolefins: a closed-loop cycle of waste to olefins. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad207. [PMID: 37601241 PMCID: PMC10437089 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The unsuitable disposal of plastic wastes has caused serious environmental pollution, and finding a green manner to address this problem has aroused wide concern. Plastic wastes, especially polyolefin wastes, are rich in carbon and hydrogen, and chemical recycling shows distinct advantages in their conversion into olefins and realizes a closed-loop cycling of plastic wastes. Plastic wastes should be labeled before disposal. The necessity for, and methods of, pretreatment are introduced in this paper and the whole recycling process of polyolefin wastes is also summarized. As the core technology pyrolysis, including thermal, catalytic and solvolysis processes, is introduced in detail due to its potential for future development. We also briefly describe the feasible strategies of pyrolytic oil refining and life cycle assessment of the chemical recycling process. In addition, suggestions and perspectives concerning the industrial improvement of polyolefin chemical recycling are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zou
- Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Processing Co., Ltd, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Run Xu
- Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Processing Co., Ltd, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
- 2060 Research Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Processing Co., Ltd, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yuhan Sun
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
- 2060 Research Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Mingfeng Li
- Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Processing Co., Ltd, Beijing 100083, China
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33
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Wei X, Zhang Q, Shen C, Zhao X, Zhang F, Liu X, Wu G, Xu S, Wang YZ. Tandem oxidative and thermal cracking of polypropylene at low temperatures. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2023; 10:3694-3701. [PMID: 37401674 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh00737e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Polypropylene waste was upcycled into terminal functionalized long-chain chemicals with the aid of anionic surfactants. The reaction only needs to be heated at 80 °C for 5 min by coupling exothermic oxidative cracking with endothermic thermal cracking. This work opens a new way to rapidly convert plastic waste into high-value-added chemicals under mild conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyue Wei
- The Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Qiang Zhang
- The Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Chengfeng Shen
- The Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Xu Zhao
- The Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Fan Zhang
- The Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Xuehui Liu
- The Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Gang Wu
- The Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Shimei Xu
- The Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Yu-Zhong Wang
- The Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
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34
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Xu Z, Munyaneza NE, Zhang Q, Sun M, Posada C, Venturo P, Rorrer NA, Miscall J, Sumpter BG, Liu G. Chemical upcycling of polyethylene, polypropylene, and mixtures to high-value surfactants. Science 2023; 381:666-671. [PMID: 37561876 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh0993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Conversion of plastic wastes to fatty acids is an attractive means to supplement the sourcing of these high-value, high-volume chemicals. We report a method for transforming polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) at ~80% conversion to fatty acids with number-average molar masses of up to ~700 and 670 daltons, respectively. The process is applicable to municipal PE and PP wastes and their mixtures. Temperature-gradient thermolysis is the key to controllably degrading PE and PP into waxes and inhibiting the production of small molecules. The waxes are upcycled to fatty acids by oxidation over manganese stearate and subsequent processing. PP ꞵ-scission produces more olefin wax and yields higher acid-number fatty acids than does PE ꞵ-scission. We further convert the fatty acids to high-value, large-market-volume surfactants. Industrial-scale technoeconomic analysis suggests economic viability without the need for subsidies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | | | - Qikun Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Shandong Normal University, Shandong 250014, PR China
| | - Mengqi Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Carlos Posada
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Paul Venturo
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Nicholas A Rorrer
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Joel Miscall
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Bobby G Sumpter
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Guoliang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Macromolecules Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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35
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Zhou Y, Rodríguez-López J, Moore JS. Heterogenous electromediated depolymerization of highly crystalline polyoxymethylene. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4847. [PMID: 37563151 PMCID: PMC10415396 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39362-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-consumer plastic waste in the environment has driven the scientific community to develop deconstruction methods that yield valued substances from these synthetic macromolecules. Electrocatalysis is a well-established method for achieving challenging transformations in small molecule synthesis. Here we present the first electro-chemical depolymerization of polyoxymethylene-a highly crystalline engineering thermoplastic (Delrin®)-into its repolymerizable monomer, formaldehyde/1,3,5-trioxane, under ambient conditions. We investigate this electrochemical deconstruction by employing solvent screening, cyclic voltammetry, divided cell studies, electrolysis with redox mediators, small molecule model studies, and control experiments. Our findings determine that the reaction proceeds via a heterogeneous electro-mediated acid depolymerization mechanism. The bifunctional role of the co-solvent 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) is also revealed. This study demonstrates the potential of electromediated depolymerization serving as an important role in sustainable chemistry by merging the concepts of renewable energy and circular plastic economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Zhou
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA
| | - Joaquín Rodríguez-López
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Moore
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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36
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Miao Y, Zhao Y, Waterhouse GIN, Shi R, Wu LZ, Zhang T. Photothermal recycling of waste polyolefin plastics into liquid fuels with high selectivity under solvent-free conditions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4242. [PMID: 37454122 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40005-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The widespread use of polyolefin plastics in modern societies generates huge amounts of plastic waste. With a view toward sustainability, researchers are now seeking novel and low-cost strategies for recycling and valorizing polyolefin plastics. Herein, we report the successful development of a photothermal catalytic recycling system for transforming polyolefin plastics into liquid/waxy fuels under concentrated sunlight or xenon lamp irradiation. Photothermal heating of a Ru/TiO2 catalyst to 200-300 °C in the presence of polyolefin plastics results in intimate catalyst-plastic contact and controllable hydrogenolysis of C-C and C-H bonds in the polymer chains (mediated by Ru sites). By optimizing the reaction temperature and pressure, the complete conversion of waste polyolefins into valuable liquid fuels (86% gasoline- and diesel-range hydrocarbons, C5-C21) is possible in short periods (3 h). This work demonstrates a simple and efficient strategy for recycling waste polyolefin plastics using abundant solar energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxuan Miao
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yunxuan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
| | | | - Run Shi
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Zhu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Tierui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
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37
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Li A, Sheng Y, Cui H, Wang M, Wu L, Song Y, Yang R, Li X, Huang H. Discovery and mechanism-guided engineering of BHET hydrolases for improved PET recycling and upcycling. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4169. [PMID: 37443360 PMCID: PMC10344914 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39929-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Although considerable research achievements have been made to address the plastic crisis using enzymes, their applications are limited due to incomplete degradation and low efficiency. Herein, we report the identification and subsequent engineering of BHETases, which have the potential to improve the efficiency of PET recycling and upcycling. Two BHETases (ChryBHETase and BsEst) are identified from the environment via enzyme mining. Subsequently, mechanism-guided barrier engineering is employed to yield two robust and thermostable ΔBHETases with up to 3.5-fold enhanced kcat/KM than wild-type, followed by atomic resolution understanding. Coupling ΔBHETase into a two-enzyme system overcomes the challenge of heterogeneous product formation and results in up to 7.0-fold improved TPA production than seven state-of-the-art PET hydrolases, under the conditions used here. Finally, we employ a ΔBHETase-joined tandem chemical-enzymatic approach to valorize 21 commercial post-consumed plastics into virgin PET and an example chemical (p-phthaloyl chloride) for achieving the closed-loop PET recycling and open-loop PET upcycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anni Li
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yijie Sheng
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Haiyang Cui
- RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, Aachen, 52062, Germany
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Minghui Wang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Luxuan Wu
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yibo Song
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Rongrong Yang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiujuan Li
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China.
| | - He Huang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China.
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38
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Jones GR, Wang HS, Parkatzidis K, Whitfield R, Truong NP, Anastasaki A. Reversed Controlled Polymerization (RCP): Depolymerization from Well-Defined Polymers to Monomers. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:9898-9915. [PMID: 37127289 PMCID: PMC10176471 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c00589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Controlled polymerization methods are well-established synthetic protocols for the design and preparation of polymeric materials with a high degree of precision over molar mass and architecture. Exciting recent work has shown that the high end-group fidelity and/or functionality inherent in these techniques can enable new routes to depolymerization under relatively mild conditions. Converting polymers back to pure monomers by depolymerization is a potential solution to the environmental and ecological concerns associated with the ultimate fate of polymers. This perspective focuses on the emerging field of depolymerization from polymers synthesized by controlled polymerizations including radical, ionic, and metathesis polymerizations. We provide a critical review of current literature categorized according to polymerization technique and explore numerous concepts and ideas which could be implemented to further enhance depolymerization including lower temperature systems, catalytic depolymerization, increasing polymer scope, and controlled depolymerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glen R Jones
- Laboratory for Polymeric Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hyun Suk Wang
- Laboratory for Polymeric Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kostas Parkatzidis
- Laboratory for Polymeric Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Richard Whitfield
- Laboratory for Polymeric Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nghia P Truong
- Laboratory for Polymeric Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Athina Anastasaki
- Laboratory for Polymeric Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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39
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Wang X, Lu W, Wang H, Zhang J, Qu Z, Chen F. Role of solvent in plasma-assisted peroxymonosulfate-hydrothermal process for plastic conversion. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 448:130968. [PMID: 36860079 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Hydrothermal processes are considered a promising strategy for the conversion of ever-growing plastic wastes. Plasma-assisted peroxymonosulfate-hydrothermal process has attracted increasing attention in enhancing the efficiency of hydrothermal conversion. However, the role of solvent in this process is unclear and rarely researched. Herein, the conversion process with different water-based solvents was investigated based on a plasma-assisted peroxymonosulfate-hydrothermal reaction. As the ratio of the solvent effective volume in the reactor increased from 20% to 53.3%, the conversion efficiency displayed an obvious decrease from 7.1% to 4.2%. The results indicated that the increased pressure caused by the solvent greatly reduced the surface reaction and forced the hydrophilic groups to shift back to the carbon chain, thereby reducing the reaction kinetics. A further increase in the solvent effective volume ratio could promote the conversion in the inner layer of the plastics to achieve an increase of the conversion efficiency. These findings can provide valuable guidance for the design of hydrothermal conversion for plastic wastes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Research Institute of Frontier Science, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Quantum Engineering and Quantum Materials, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, South China Normal University, Foshan 528225, China.
| | - Wenjing Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Quantum Engineering and Quantum Materials, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, South China Normal University, Foshan 528225, China
| | - Hui Wang
- School of Aeronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China.
| | - Jingzhe Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Quantum Engineering and Quantum Materials, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, South China Normal University, Foshan 528225, China
| | - Zhiguo Qu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, China
| | - Fuming Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Quantum Engineering and Quantum Materials, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, South China Normal University, Foshan 528225, China.
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40
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Mastropietro TF. Metal-organic frameworks and plastic: an emerging synergic partnership. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF ADVANCED MATERIALS 2023; 24:2189890. [PMID: 37007671 PMCID: PMC10054298 DOI: 10.1080/14686996.2023.2189890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Mismanagement of plastic waste results in its ubiquitous presence in the environment. Despite being durable and persistent materials, plastics are reduced by weathering phenomena into debris with a particle size down to nanometers. The fate and ecotoxicological effects of these solid micropollutants are not fully understood yet, but they are raising increasing concerns for the environment and people's health. Even if different current technologies have the potential to remove plastic particles, the efficiency of these processes is modest, especially for nanoparticles. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline nano-porous materials with unique properties, have unique properties, such as strong coordination bonds, large and robustus porous structures, high accessible surface areas and adsorption capacity, which make them suitable adsorbent materials for micropollutants. This review examines the preliminary results reported in literature indicating that MOFs are promising adsorbents for the removal of plastic particles from water, especially when MOFs are integrated in porous composite materials or membranes, where they are able to assure high removal efficiency, superior water flux and antifouling properties, even in the presence of other dissolved co-pollutants. Moreover, a recent trend for the alternative preparation of MOFs starting from plastic waste, especially polyethylene terephthalate, as a sustainable source of organic linkers is also reviewed, as it represents a promising route for mitigating the impact of the costs deriving from the widescale MOFs production and application. This connubial between MOFs and plastic has the potential to contribute at implementing a more effective waste management and the circular economy principles in the polymer life cycle.
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41
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Gao J, Zhu L, Conley MP. Cationic Tantalum Hydrides Catalyze Hydrogenolysis and Alkane Metathesis Reactions of Paraffins and Polyethylene. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:4964-4968. [PMID: 36827508 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c13610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
Sulfated aluminum oxide (SAO), a high surface area material containing sulfate anions that behave like weakly coordinating anions, reacts with Ta(═CHtBu)(CH2tBu)3 to form [Ta(CH2tBu)2(O-)2][SAO] (1). Subsequent treatment with H2 forms Ta-H+ sites supported on SAO that are active in hydrogenolysis and alkane metathesis reactions. In both reactions Ta-H+ is more active than related neutral Ta-H sites supported on silica. This reaction chemistry extends to melts of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), where Ta-H+ converts 30% of a low molecular weight HDPE (Mn = 2.5 kg mol-1; Đ = 3.6) to low molecular weight paraffins under hydrogenolysis conditions. Under alkane metathesis conditions Ta-H+ converts this HDPE to a high MW fraction (Mn = 6.2 kDa; Đ = 2.3) and low molecular weight alkane products (C13-C32). These results show that incorporating charge as a design element in supported d0 metal hydrides is a viable strategy to increase the reaction rate in challenging reactions involving reorganization of C-C bonds in alkanes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Gao
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Lingchao Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Matthew P Conley
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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42
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Zhu X, Zhu L, Xue J, Xue Q. Preparation of micro-nano particles modified discarded face-mask by a versatile thermocompression modification approach and its application to emulsion separation. SEP SCI TECHNOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/01496395.2022.2160351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xu Zhu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Pollution Control, China National Petroleum Corporation, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Lei Zhu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Pollution Control, China National Petroleum Corporation, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jinwei Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Pollution Control, China National Petroleum Corporation, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Qingzhong Xue
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Pollution Control, China National Petroleum Corporation, Beijing, P. R. China
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43
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Jung S, Ro I. Strategic use of thermo-chemical processes for plastic waste valorization. KOREAN J CHEM ENG 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11814-023-1398-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
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44
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Zhang Y, Chen X, Cheng L, Gu J, Xu Y. Conversion of Polyethylene to High-Yield Fuel Oil at Low Temperatures and Atmospheric Initial Pressure. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20054048. [PMID: 36901058 PMCID: PMC10001737 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The transformation of waste plastics into fuels via energy-efficient and low-cost pyrolysis could incentivize better waste plastic management. Here, we report pressure-induced phase transitions in polyethylene, which continue to heat up without additional heat sources, prompting the thermal cracking of plastics into premium fuel products. When the nitrogen initial pressure is increased from 2 to 21 bar, a monotonically increasing peak temperature is observed (from 428.1 °C to 476.7 °C). At 21 bar pressure under different atmosphere conditions, the temperature change driven by high-pressure helium is lower than that driven by nitrogen or argon, indicating that phase transition is related to the interaction between long-chain hydrocarbons and intercalated high-pressure medium layers. In view of the high cost of high-pressure inert gases, the promotion or inhibition effect of low-boiling hydrocarbons (transitioning into the gaseous state with increasing temperature) on phase transition is explored, and a series of light components are used as phase transition initiators to replace high-pressure inert gases to experiment. The reason that the quantitative conversion of polyethylene to high-quality fuel products is realized through the addition of 1-hexene at a set temperature of 340 °C and the initial atmospheric pressure. This discovery provides a method for recycling plastics by low energy pyrolysis. In addition, we envisage recovering some of the light components after plastic pyrolysis as phase change initiators for the next batch of the process. This method is able to reduce the cost of light hydrocarbons or high-pressure gas insertion, reduce heat input, and improve material and energy utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjia Zhang
- Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New and Renewable Energy Research and Development, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Xueru Chen
- Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New and Renewable Energy Research and Development, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Leilei Cheng
- Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New and Renewable Energy Research and Development, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Jing Gu
- Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New and Renewable Energy Research and Development, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yulin Xu
- Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New and Renewable Energy Research and Development, Guangzhou 510640, China
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45
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Liu X, Zhao X, An W, Zhou X, Zhang S, Xu S, Wang YZ. Upcycling of waste thermosets into multiple-responsive supramolecular materials via acid-catalyzed oxidation. POLYMER 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2023.125774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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46
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Li L, Luo H, Shao Z, Zhou H, Lu J, Chen J, Huang C, Zhang S, Liu X, Xia L, Li J, Wang H, Sun Y. Converting Plastic Wastes to Naphtha for Closing the Plastic Loop. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:1847-1854. [PMID: 36635072 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
To solve the serious environmental problem and huge resource waste of plastic pollution, we report a tandem catalytic conversion of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) into naphtha, the key feedstock for renewable plastic production. Using β zeolite and silicalite-1-encapsulated Pt nanoparticles (Pt@S-1), a naphtha yield of 89.5% is obtained with 96.8% selectivity of C5-C9 hydrocarbons at 250 °C. The acid sites crack long-chain LDPE into olefin intermediates, which diffuse within the channels of Pt@S-1 to encounter Pt nanoparticles. The hydrogenation over confined metal matches cracking steps by selectively shipping the olefins with right size, and the rapid diffusion boosts the formation of narrow-distributed alkanes. A conceptual upgrading indicates it is suitable for closing the plastic loop, with a significant energy saving of 15% and 30% reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Hu Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
| | - Zilong Shao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Haozhi Zhou
- Institute of Carbon Neutrality, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China
| | - Junwen Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Junjun Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaojie Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Shunan Zhang
- Institute of Carbon Neutrality, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaofang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Xia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiong Li
- Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhangjiang National Lab, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Carbon Neutrality, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhan Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Carbon Neutrality, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Institute of Cleantech Innovation, Shanghai 201616, People's Republic of China
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47
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Uchiyama M, Murakami Y, Satoh K, Kamigaito M. Synthesis and Degradation of Vinyl Polymers with Evenly Distributed Thioacetal Bonds in Main Chains: Cationic DT Copolymerization of Vinyl Ethers and Cyclic Thioacetals. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202215021. [PMID: 36369911 PMCID: PMC10107285 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202215021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
We report a novel method to synthesize degradable poly(vinyl ether)s with cleavable thioacetal bonds periodically arranged in the main chains using controlled cationic copolymerization of vinyl ethers with a 7-membered cyclic thioacetal (7-CTA) via degenerative chain transfer (DT) to the internal thioacetal bonds. The thioacetal bonds, which are introduced into the main chain by cationic ring-opening copolymerization of 7-CTA with vinyl ethers, serve as in-chain dormant species to allow homogeneous propagation of vinyl ethers for all internal segments to afford copolymers with controlled overall and segmental molecular weights. The obtained polymers can be degraded into low- and controlled-molecular-weight polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions via hydrolysis. Various vinyl ethers with hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and functional pendants are available. Finally, one-pot synthesis of multiblock copolymers and their degradation into diblock copolymers are also achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mineto Uchiyama
- Department of Molecular and Macromolecular Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Murakami
- Department of Molecular and Macromolecular Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan
| | - Kotaro Satoh
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-H120 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Masami Kamigaito
- Department of Molecular and Macromolecular Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan
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48
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Rabot C, Chen Y, Bijlani S, Chiang Y, Oakley CE, Oakley BR, Williams TJ, Wang CCC. Conversion of Polyethylenes into Fungal Secondary Metabolites. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202214609. [PMID: 36417558 PMCID: PMC10100090 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202214609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Waste plastics represent major environmental and economic burdens due to their ubiquity, slow breakdown rates, and inadequacy of current recycling routes. Polyethylenes are particularly problematic, because they lack robust recycling approaches despite being the most abundant plastics in use today. We report a novel chemical and biological approach for the rapid conversion of polyethylenes into structurally complex and pharmacologically active compounds. We present conditions for aerobic, catalytic digestion of polyethylenes collected from post-consumer and oceanic waste streams, creating carboxylic diacids that can then be used as a carbon source by the fungus Aspergillus nidulans. As a proof of principle, we have engineered strains of A. nidulans to synthesize the fungal secondary metabolites asperbenzaldehyde, citreoviridin, and mutilin when grown on these digestion products. This hybrid approach considerably expands the range of products to which polyethylenes can be upcycled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Rabot
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of Southern California1985 Zonal AveLos AngelesCA 90033USA
| | - Yuhao Chen
- Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Hydrocarbon Institute and Department of ChemistryUniversity of Southern California837 Bloom WalkLos AngelesCA 90089USA
- Wrigley Institute for Environmental StudiesUniversity of Southern California3454 Trousdale ParkwayLos AngelesCA 90089USA
| | - Swati Bijlani
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of Southern California1985 Zonal AveLos AngelesCA 90033USA
| | - Yi‐Ming Chiang
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of Southern California1985 Zonal AveLos AngelesCA 90033USA
| | - C. Elizabeth Oakley
- Department of Molecular BiosciencesUniversity of Kansas1200 Sunnyside AvenueLawrenceKS 66045USA
| | - Berl R. Oakley
- Department of Molecular BiosciencesUniversity of Kansas1200 Sunnyside AvenueLawrenceKS 66045USA
| | - Travis J. Williams
- Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Hydrocarbon Institute and Department of ChemistryUniversity of Southern California837 Bloom WalkLos AngelesCA 90089USA
- Wrigley Institute for Environmental StudiesUniversity of Southern California3454 Trousdale ParkwayLos AngelesCA 90089USA
| | - Clay C. C. Wang
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of Southern California1985 Zonal AveLos AngelesCA 90033USA
- Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Hydrocarbon Institute and Department of ChemistryUniversity of Southern California837 Bloom WalkLos AngelesCA 90089USA
- Wrigley Institute for Environmental StudiesUniversity of Southern California3454 Trousdale ParkwayLos AngelesCA 90089USA
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49
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Thevenon A, Vollmer I. Towards a Cradle-to-Cradle Polyolefin Lifecycle. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202216163. [PMID: 36440579 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202216163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Achieving efficient chemical depolymerization of waste polyolefins to monomers remains an unsolved challenge, while it could be an effective means to avoid further waste accumulation in the environment and generate economic benefits. In a recent publication by Conk et al., polyethylene (PE) is converted to propylene, the second most used monomer in the polymer industry. The conversion is achieved via a tandem catalysis approach in which partially unsaturated PE chains react with ethylene to generate propylene with yields as high as 87 %. The study is a first proof of concept showcasing a selective chemical depolymerization of PE to a monomer. Future research is expected to focus on the catalyst optimization, process design, and compatibility with contaminated and multi-polymer waste streams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Thevenon
- Organic Chemistry and Catalysis group, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ina Vollmer
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis group, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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50
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Idowu GA, Olalemi AO, Aiyesanmi AF. Environmental impacts of covid-19 pandemic: Release of microplastics, organic contaminants and trace metals from face masks under ambient environmental conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 217:114956. [PMID: 36442523 PMCID: PMC9699709 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The covid-19 pandemic era was characterized by heavy usage and disposal of medical face masks, now estimated at over 1.24 trillion. Few studies had attempted to demonstrate the release of microplastics from face masks using simulated conditions and application of mechanical forces, far different from the effects experienced by face masks dumped in the open environment, in landfills and dumpsites. In the current study, we monitored the release of microplastics, organic contaminants and toxic metals from medical face masks degraded under normal outdoor environmental conditions, over a period of 60 weeks. We showed that face mask's decomposition proceeded via sunlight (UV) - initiated oxidative degradation, leading to the replacement of methylene (CH2-) and alkyl (CH3-) groups in face mask's polypropylene backbone with hydroxyl and ketonic functional groups. Organic compounds released from decaying face masks into the surrounding soil included alkanes, alkenes, carboxylic acids/diesters and phthalate esters. Mean maximum concentration of phthalates in the soil ranged from 3.14 mg/kg (diethyl phthalate) to 11.68 mg/kg di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. Heavy metals, including Cu, Pb, Cd, As, Sn and Fe, were released into the soil, leading to contamination factors of 3.11, 2.84, 2.42, 2.26, 1.80 and 0.99, respectively. Together, the metals gave a pollution load index (PLI) of 2.102, indicating that they constitute moderate pollution of the soil surrounding the heap of face masks. This study provides a realistic insight into the fate and impacts of the enormous amounts of face masks, disposed or abandoned in soil environments during the covid-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gideon Aina Idowu
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Federal University of Technology Akure, P. M. B. 704 Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria; Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
| | - Adewale Oluwasogo Olalemi
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Federal University of Technology Akure, P. M. B. 704 Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
| | - Ademola Festus Aiyesanmi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Federal University of Technology Akure, P. M. B. 704 Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
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