A novel and efficient catalytic system composed of Ru-NbOPO4 and decane for the hydrodeoxygenation of polycarbonate waste into cycloalkane fuels

Chemical recycling of polycarbonate (PC) waste can effectively upgrade PC to valuable chemicals. This work developed a novel catalytic system composed of Ru-NbOPO 4 as the catalyst and decane as the solvent for the selective hydrodeoxygenation of PC waste to cycloalkanes, a potential additive for jet fuels. The depolymerization degree and product distribution under the condition of different catalysts and solvents were investigated. The results proved that the combination of Ru-NbOPO 4 and decane exhibited the >99 % depolymerization degree of PC and > 99 % selectivity to cycloalkanes under 240 °C. The acidic sites in the NbOPO 4 framework effectively enhanced the hydrodeoxygenation capacity of the catalyst. The catalytic system can achieve the total conversion of real PC wastes (discarded CDs and water buckets) into cycloalkanes with >99 % selectivity under 240 °C. The by-product CO 2 derived from the carbonyl linking units in PC can also be converted into CH 4 along with the formation of cycloalkanes in one-pot reaction, increasing the catalytic efficiency of the system and decreasing the emission of CO 2 . With the advantages of high selectivity to cycloalkanes and efficient for real waste PC, the developed catalytic system provides a new approach for the selective upgradation of PC waste to cycloalkane fuels.