An electron micrograph of platinum nanoparticles distributed onto perovskite nanotubes.
US researchers say they have developed a catalytic method to turn single-use plastic into high-quality liquid products such as motor oils, lubricants, detergents and even cosmetics.
A team led by Northwestern University, Argonne National Laboratory, and Ames Laboratory describes the process in the journal ACS Central Science.
The key is making use of the strong carbon-carbon bonds that mean plastics don’t naturally degrade – they break up into dangerous microplastics.
“We sought to recoup the high energy that holds those bonds together by catalytically converting the polyethylene molecules into value-added commercial products,” says Argonne’s Massimiliano Delferro.
The catalyst comprises platinum nanoparticles deposited onto perovskite nanocubes using atomic layer deposition, a technique developed at Argonne that allows precise control of nanoparticles.
Under moderate pressure and temperature, the researchers say, the catalyst cleaves plastic’s carbon-carbon bond to produce high-quality liquid hydrocarbons.
This, they add, is in stark contrast to commercially available catalysts, which generate lower quality products with many short hydrocarbons, limiting the products’ usefulness.
Originally published by Cosmos as When bad plastic turns good
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