Polyethylene upcycling to long-chain alkylaromatics by tandem hydrogenolysis/aromatization

• DOI: 10.1126/science.abc5441
• Publication Date: 2020-10-22T23:12:29Z
• Authors: Fan Zhang; Manhao Zeng; Ryan D. Yappert; Jiakai Sun; Yu-Hsuan Lee; Anne M. LaPointe; Baron Peters; Mahdi M. Abu-Omar; Susannah L. Scott
• Keywords: Aromatization; Hydrogenolysis; Carbon fibers

A new future for polyethylene Most current plastic recycling involves chopping up the waste and repurposing it in materials with less stringent engineering requirements than original application. Chemical decomposition at molecular level could, principle, lead to higher-value products. However, carbon-carbon bonds polyethylene, most common plastic, tend resist such approaches without exposure high-pressure hydrogen. F. Zhang et al. now report that a platinum/alumina catalyst can transform directly into long-chain alkylbenzenes, feedstock detergent manufacture, no need external hydrogen (see Perspective by Weckhuysen). Science , this issue p. 437 ; see also 400