Solvent-Free Depolymerization of Plastic Waste Enabled by Plastic-Catalyst Interfacial Engineering

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.

Automated summary

Depolymerization of condensation polymers often requires solvents and homogeneous catalysts, but suffer from poor interfacial contact with solid plastics. This study discovers a spontaneous heterogeneous catalyst layer on the surface of polyethylene terephthalate during the homogeneous catalytic depolymerization process, and demonstrates that the construction of solid-plastic interfaces enables solvent-free depolymerization at relatively low temperatures. The introduction of trace amounts of zinc by electrostatic adsorption is sufficient for catalyzing the depolymerization. The concept of plastic-catalyst contact mass interfacial catalysis could inspire new approaches to address plastic waste problems.