Hydrogenolysis-Isomerization of Waste Polyolefin Plastics to Multibranched Liquid Alkanes

Graphical Break it down : Catalytic hydrogenolysis-isomerization of nondegradable polyolefin plastics to high-value gasoline, diesel, and light lubricants with highly branched chains is achieved over Rh/Nb 2 O 5 bifunctional catalyst under relatively mild conditions. Preliminary economic analysis shows that this technology is economically feasible and has great potential in accelerating the transition to a circular plastics economy. Upcycling of waste polyolefin plastics still meets with economic and technological challenges in practice. In this work, the catalytic hydrogenolysis-isomerization of nondegradable polyolefin plastic waste to high-value gasoline, diesel, and light lubricants with highly branched chain is achieved over a bifunctional Rh/Nb 2 O 5 catalyst under relatively mild conditions. Owing to the high efficiency of metallic Rh active sites, the dehydrogenation/hydrogenation of long carbon chains of polyolefins is enhanced. With the assistance of strong Brønsted acidity of Nb 2 O 5 , the cleavage of C−C bonds, skeletal rearrangements, as well as the β-scission of alkylcarbenium ions occurs, which boosts the one-step solvent-free catalytic hydrogenolysis and isomerization of polyolefins. In addition, the preliminary economic analysis shows that this technology is economical, feasible, and has great potential in accelerating the transition to a circular plastics economy for sustainable development.