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Upcycling polyolefins to methane-free liquid fuel by a Ru1-ZrO2 catalyst

Author

Listed:
  • Jicong Yan

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Guanna Li

    (Wageningen University)

  • Zhanwu Lei

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Xiaolu Yuan

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Junting Li

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Xiaoru Wang

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Bo Wang

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Fuping Tian

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Tao Hu

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Lei Huang

    (Shanghai University)

  • Yujia Ding

    (Illinois Institute of Technology)

  • Xiaoke Xi

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Feng Zhu

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Shuo Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jiong Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yu Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Ruiguo Cao

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Xiang Wang

    (Dalian University of Technology)

Abstract

Upcycling waste plastics into liquid fuels presents significant potential for advancing the circular economy but is hindered by poor selectivity and low-value methane byproduct formation. In this work, we report that atomic Ru-doped ZrO2 can selectively convert 100 grams of post-consumer polyethylene and polypropylene, yielding 85 mL of liquid in a solvent-free hydrocracking. The liquid (C5-C20) comprises ~70% jet-fuel-ranged branched hydrocarbons (C8-C16), while the gas product is liquefied-petroleum-gas (C3-C6) without methane and ethane. We found that the atomic Ru dopant in the Ru-O-Zr moiety functionalizes its neighboring O atom, originally inert, to create a Brønsted acid site. This Brønsted acid site, rather than the atomic Ru dopant itself, selectively governs the internal C−C bond cleavage in polyolefins through a carbonium ion mechanism, thereby enhancing the yield of jet-fuel-ranged hydrocarbons and suppressing methane formation. This oxide modulation strategy provides a paradigm shift in catalyst design for hydrocracking waste plastics and holds potential for a broad spectrum of applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Jicong Yan & Guanna Li & Zhanwu Lei & Xiaolu Yuan & Junting Li & Xiaoru Wang & Bo Wang & Fuping Tian & Tao Hu & Lei Huang & Yujia Ding & Xiaoke Xi & Feng Zhu & Shuo Zhang & Jiong Li & Yu Chen & Ruiguo, 2025. "Upcycling polyolefins to methane-free liquid fuel by a Ru1-ZrO2 catalyst," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57998-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57998-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pavel A. Kots & Tianjun Xie & Brandon C. Vance & Caitlin M. Quinn & Matheus Dorneles Mello & J. Anibal Boscoboinik & Cong Wang & Pawan Kumar & Eric A. Stach & Nebojsa S. Marinkovic & Lu Ma & Steven N., 2022. "Electronic modulation of metal-support interactions improves polypropylene hydrogenolysis over ruthenium catalysts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Ruochen Cao & Mei-Qi Zhang & Yuchen Jiao & Yuchen Li & Bo Sun & Dequan Xiao & Meng Wang & Ding Ma, 2023. "Co-upcycling of polyvinyl chloride and polyesters," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(12), pages 1685-1692, December.
    3. Yaoyuan Zhang & Yun Zhao & Tatiana Otroshchenko & Henrik Lund & Marga-Martina Pohl & Uwe Rodemerck & David Linke & Haijun Jiao & Guiyuan Jiang & Evgenii V. Kondratenko, 2018. "Control of coordinatively unsaturated Zr sites in ZrO2 for efficient C–H bond activation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Zheng Zhang & Kinga Gora-Marek & Jonathan S. Watson & Jinsen Tian & Matthew R. Ryder & Karolina A. Tarach & Lidia López-Pérez & Joaquin Martínez-Triguero & Ignacio Melián-Cabrera, 2019. "Recovering waste plastics using shape-selective nano-scale reactors as catalysts," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(1), pages 39-42, January.
    5. Pavel A. Kots & Brandon C. Vance & Caitlin M. Quinn & Cong Wang & Dionisios G. Vlachos, 2023. "A two-stage strategy for upcycling chlorine-contaminated plastic waste," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(10), pages 1258-1267, October.
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