From trash to treasure: Chemical recycling and upcycling of commodity plastic waste to fuels, high-valued chemicals and advanced materials

A stable low-temperature H2-production catalyst by crowding Pt on α-MoC

(2021) Xiao Zhang et al.   NATURE

Iron-catalysed synthesis and chemical recycling of telechelic 1,3-enchained oligocyclobutanes

(2021) Megan Mohadjer Beromi et al.   Nature Chemistry

Closed-loop recycling of polyethylene-like materials

(2021) Manuel Häußler et al.   NATURE

Hybrid monomer design for unifying conflicting polymerizability, recyclability, and performance properties

(2021) Changxia Shi et al.   Chem

Self-Perpetuating Carbon Foam Microwave Plasma Conversion of Hydrocarbon Wastes into Useful Fuels and Chemicals

(2021) Guiyin Xu et al.   ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Catalytic carbon-carbon bond cleavage and carbon-element bond formation give new life for polyolefins as biodegradable surfactants

(2021) Uddhav Kanbur et al.   Chem

Plastic waste to fuels by hydrocracking at mild conditions

(2021) Sibao Liu et al.   Science Advances

Upcycling to Sustainably Reuse Plastics

(2021) Xin Zhao et al.   ADVANCED MATERIALS

Catalytic Reforming of the Aqueous Phase Derived from Diluted Hydrogen Peroxide Oxidation of Waste Polyethylene for Hydrogen Production

(2021) Hongcai Su et al.   ChemSusChem

Facile transformation of poly(phenyl ether) by C-H borylation: A viable method to new aromatic materials

(2021) Daijun Feng et al.   EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL

Atomically Dispersed Pt–N3C1 Sites Enabling Efficient and Selective Electrocatalytic C–C Bond Cleavage in Lignin Models under Ambient Conditions

(2021) Tingting Cui et al.   JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

Chemically recyclable thermoplastics from reversible-deactivation polymerization of cyclic acetals

(2021) Brooks A. Abel et al.   SCIENCE

Electrocatalytic upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate to commodity chemicals and H2 fuel

(2021) Hua Zhou et al.   Nature Communications

Polypropylene Plastic Waste Conversion to Lubricants over Ru/TiO2 Catalysts

(2021) Pavel A. Kots et al.   ACS Catalysis

Chemical and biological catalysis for plastics recycling and upcycling

(2021) Lucas D. Ellis et al.   Nature Catalysis

Electrosynthesized Ni-P nanospheres with high activity and selectivity towards photoelectrochemical plastics reforming

(2021) Chia-Yu Lin et al.   APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL

Catalytic Amination of Polylactic Acid to Alanine

(2021) Shuheng Tian et al.   JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

Sunlight‐Mediated Degradation of Polyethylene under the Synergy of Photothermal CH Activation and Modification

(2021) Shengnan Kong et al.   MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS

A systematic correlation between morphology of porous carbon cathode and electrolyte in lithium-sulfur battery

(2021) Jihyeon Park et al.   Journal of Energy Chemistry

Photocatalytic Conversion of Waste Plastics into C2 Fuels under Simulated Natural Environment Conditions

(2020) Xingchen Jiao et al.   ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Hydrogen production from steam gasification of polyethylene using a two-stage gasifier and active carbon

(2020) Yong-Seong Jeong et al.   APPLIED ENERGY

Gram-scale bottom-up flash graphene synthesis

(2020) Duy X. Luong et al.   NATURE

Beyond Mechanical Recycling: Giving New Life to Plastic Waste

(2020) Ina Vollmer et al.   ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Greener Routes to Biomass Waste Valorization: Lignin Transformation Through Electrocatalysis for Renewable Chemicals and Fuels Production

(2020) Mahlet Garedew et al.   ChemSusChem

Synthesis of Functionalized Cyclic Carbonates through Commodity Polymer Upcycling

(2020) Coralie Jehanno et al.   ACS Macro Letters

Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Hydrogenative Degradation of End‐of‐Life Poly(lactide) to Produce 1,2‐Propanediol as Platform Chemical

(2020) Tim‐Oliver Kindler et al.   ChemistryOpen

Polyethylene Terephthalate Deconstruction Catalyzed by a Carbon‐Supported Single‐Site Molybdenum‐dioxo Complex.

(2020) Yosi Kratish et al.   ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION

ZnO nanodispersion as pseudohomogeneous catalyst for alcoholysis of polyethylene terephthalate

(2020) Jin-Tao Du et al.   CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE

Chemical and Electrochemical Recycling of End-Use Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) Plastics in Batch, Microwave and Electrochemical Reactors

(2020) Tessa H. T. Myren et al.   MOLECULES

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

(2020) Fan Zhang et al.   SCIENCE

Catalytic upcycling of high-density polyethylene via a processive mechanism

(2020) Akalanka Tennakoon et al.   Nature Catalysis

Microwave-initiated catalytic deconstruction of plastic waste into hydrogen and high-value carbons

(2020) Xiangyu Jie et al.   Nature Catalysis

Selective chemical upcycling of mixed plastics guided by a thermally stable organocatalyst

(2020) Haritz Sardon et al.   ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Front Cover: A Combined Experimental–Theoretical Study on Diels‐Alder Reaction with Bio‐Based Furfural: Towards Renewable Aromatics (ChemSusChem 1/2021)

(2020) I Scodeller et al.   ChemSusChem

Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta

(2020) Antonio Ragusa et al.   ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL

Selective, Catalytic Oxidations of C–H Bonds in Polyethylenes Produce Functional Materials with Enhanced Adhesion

(2020) Liye Chen et al.   Chem

N-doped porous carbon nanofibers sheathed pumpkin-like Si/C composites as free-standing anodes for lithium-ion batteries

(2020) Yanfei Zeng et al.   Journal of Energy Chemistry

Low-temperature catalytic upgrading of waste polyolefinic plastics into liquid fuels and waxes

(2020) Yosuke Nakaji et al.   APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL

Recent progress in controlled carbonization of (waste) polymers

(2019) Jiang Gong et al.   PROGRESS IN POLYMER SCIENCE

Photoreforming of Nonrecyclable Plastic Waste over a Carbon Nitride/Nickel Phosphide Catalyst

(2019) Taylor Uekert et al.   JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

Chemo- and Regioselective Functionalization of Isotactic Polypropylene: A Mechanistic and Structure–Property Study

(2019) Jill B. Williamson et al.   JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

Regulating the coordination structure of single-atom Fe-NxCy catalytic sites for benzene oxidation

(2019) Yuan Pan et al.   Nature Communications

One-pot green synthesis of magnetic fullerene nanocomposite for adsorption characteristics

(2019) Noha A. Elessawy et al.   Journal of Water Process Engineering

Thermal oxidation of polypropylene catalyzed by manganese oxide aerogel in oxygen-enriched supercritical carbon dioxide

(2019) Igor V. Elmanovich et al.   JOURNAL OF SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS

Controlling generation of benzenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in thermolysis of polyvinyl chloride in CO 2

(2018) Taewoo Lee et al.   ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT

Organocatalysed depolymerisation of PET in a fully sustainable cycle using thermally stable protic ionic salt

(2018) Coralie Jehanno et al.   GREEN CHEMISTRY

A synthetic polymer system with repeatable chemical recyclability

(2018) Jian-Bo Zhu et al.   SCIENCE

Recycling of polyurethanes from laboratory to industry, a journey towards the sustainability

(2018) D. Simón et al.   WASTE MANAGEMENT

Room-Temperature Methane Conversion by Graphene-Confined Single Iron Atoms

(2018) Xiaoju Cui et al.   Chem

Plastic waste as a feedstock for solar-driven H2 generation

(2018) Taylor Uekert et al.   Energy & Environmental Science

Catalytic Pyrolysis of Waste Polyethylene into Aromatics by H3PO4-Activated Carbon

(2018) Kai Sun et al.   ENERGY & FUELS

Degradation of Post-consumer PLA: Hydrolysis of Polymeric Matrix and Oligomers Stabilization in Aqueous Phase

(2018) Annesini Maria Cristina et al.   JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Molecular catalyst systems as key enablers for tailored polyesters and polycarbonate recycling concepts

(2018) Stefan Westhues et al.   Science Advances

C-H Functionalization of Commodity Polymers

(2018) Jill B. Williamson et al.   ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Porous gel materials from waste thermosetting unsaturated polyester for high-efficiency wastewater treatment

(2018) Xiong-Lei Wang et al.   CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL

Trash to Treasure: Microwave-Assisted Conversion of Polyethylene to Functional Chemicals

(2017) Eva Bäckström et al.   INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH

In-situ and ex-situ degradation of sulfonated polyimide membrane for vanadium redox flow battery application

(2017) Xiaodong Huang et al.   JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE

Low-temperature hydrogen production from water and methanol using Pt/α-MoC catalysts

(2017) Lili Lin et al.   NATURE

Thermochemical routes for the valorization of waste polyolefinic plastics to produce fuels and chemicals. A review

(2017) Gartzen Lopez et al.   RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS

Atomic-layered Au clusters on α-MoC as catalysts for the low-temperature water-gas shift reaction

(2017) Siyu Yao et al.   SCIENCE

Mechanical and chemical recycling of solid plastic waste

(2017) Kim Ragaert et al.   WASTE MANAGEMENT

Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made

(2017) Roland Geyer et al.   Science Advances

Chemical recycling of waste plastics for new materials production

(2017) AliReza Rahimi et al.   Nature Reviews Chemistry

A sequential process for hydrogen production based on continuous HDPE fast pyrolysis and in-line steam reforming

(2016) Itsaso Barbarias et al.   CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL

Combined Chemical Activation and Fenton Degradation to Convert Waste Polyethylene into High-Value Fine Chemicals

(2016) Cheuk-Fai Chow et al.   CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL

Computational and experimental investigations of one-step conversion of poly(carbonate)s into value-added poly(aryl ether sulfone)s

(2016) Gavin O. Jones et al.   PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Efficient and selective degradation of polyethylenes into liquid fuels and waxes under mild conditions

(2016) X. Jia et al.   Science Advances

Efficient conversion of waste polyvinyl chloride into nanoporous carbon incorporated with MnOx exhibiting superior electrochemical performance for supercapacitor application

(2015) Liang Xiao Cheng et al.   ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA

Polystyrene-derived carbon with hierarchical macro–meso–microporous structure for high-rate lithium-ion batteries application

(2015) Xiaoqing Yang et al.   JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE

Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean

(2015) J. R. Jambeck et al.   SCIENCE

Controlled hydrogenative depolymerization of polyesters and polycarbonates catalyzed by ruthenium(ii) PNN pincer complexes

(2014) Eric M. Krall et al.   CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS

Recycling of Polymers: A Review

(2014) Igor A. Ignatyev et al.   ChemSusChem

Supercapacitor performance of spherical nanoporous carbon obtained by a CaCO3-assisted template carbonization method from polytetrafluoroethene waste and the electrochemical enhancement by the nitridation of CO(NH2)2

(2014) Wenming Jiang et al.   ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA

Nanosized Carbon Black Combined with Ni2O3 as “Universal” Catalysts for Synergistically Catalyzing Carbonization of Polyolefin Wastes to Synthesize Carbon Nanotubes and Application for Supercapacitors

(2014) Xin Wen et al.   ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Molybdenum carbide nanoparticles within carbon nanotubes as superior catalysts for γ-valerolactone production via levulinic acid hydrogenation

(2014) Estevão F. Mai et al.   GREEN CHEMISTRY

Recent Developments in the Chemical Recycling of Postconsumer Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Waste

(2014) Neena George et al.   INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH

Hydrolysis of poly(lactic acid) into calcium lactate using ionic liquid [Bmim][OAc] for chemical recycling

(2014) Xiuyan Song et al.   POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY

Selective Hydrodeoxygenation of Biomass-Derived Oxygenates to Unsaturated Hydrocarbons using Molybdenum Carbide Catalysts

(2013) Hui Ren et al.   ChemSusChem

Highly active and durable nanostructured molybdenum carbide electrocatalysts for hydrogen production

(2013) W.-F. Chen et al.   Energy & Environmental Science

Controlling the Effective Surface Area and Pore Size Distribution of sp2 Carbon Materials and Their Impact on the Capacitance Performance of These Materials

(2013) Long Zhang et al.   JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

Carbon-Supported Molybdenum Carbide Catalysts for the Conversion of Vegetable Oils

(2012) Junxing Han et al.   ChemSusChem

Transforming polylactide into value-added materials

(2012) Frank A. Leibfarth et al.   JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART A-POLYMER CHEMISTRY

Advanced chemical recycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) through organocatalytic aminolysis

(2012) Kazuki Fukushima et al.   Polymer Chemistry

Organocatalytic depolymerization of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

(2011) Kazuki Fukushima et al.   JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART A-POLYMER CHEMISTRY

Spherical carbon particles and carbon nanotubes prepared by autogenic reactions: Evaluation as anodes in lithium electrochemical cells

(2010) Vilas G. Pol et al.   Energy & Environmental Science

Catalytic Pyrolysis of Low-Density Polyethylene over Alumina-Supported Noble Metal Catalysts

(2010) Nagi Insura et al.   ENERGY & FUELS

Photoassisted Fenton Degradation of Polystyrene

(2010) Hui-Min Feng et al.   ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Recycling of PVC wastes

(2010) Mehdi Sadat-Shojai et al.   POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY

Dechlorination and oxidation for waste poly(vinylidene chloride) by hydrothermal catalytic oxidation on Pd/AC catalyst

(2009) Baoying Lv et al.   POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY

Thermolysis of waste plastics to liquid fuelA suitable method for plastic waste management and manufacture of value added products—A world prospective

(2009) Achyut K. Panda et al.   RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS

Polymerization of α-olefins and Hydrogenolysis of the Resulting Polyolefins with Hafnium Hydrides Supported on Silica

(2009) Géraldine Tosin et al.   TOPICS IN CATALYSIS

Synthesis of Metal-Selenide Nanocrystals Using Selenium Dioxide as the Selenium Precursor

(2008) Ou Chen et al.   ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Pet Waste Management by Chemical Recycling: A Review

(2008) Vijaykumar Sinha et al.   JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Comparative study on hydrolytic degradation and monomer recovery of poly(l-lactic acid) in the solid and in the melt

(2008) Hideto Tsuji et al.   POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY