Low-temperature upcycling of polyolefins into liquid alkanes via tandem cracking-alkylation
Technical University of Munich · Pacific Northwest National Laboratory · +1 more institution
Abstract
Selective upcycling of polyolefin waste has been hampered by the relatively high temperatures that are required to cleave the carbon-carbon (C–C) bonds at reasonably high rates. We present a distinctive approach that uses a highly ionic reaction environment to increase the polymer reactivity and lower the energy of ionic transition states. Combining endothermic cleavage of the polymer C–C bonds with exothermic alkylation reactions of the cracking products enables full conversion of polyethylene and polypropylene to liquid isoalkanes (C 6 to C 10 ) at temperatures below 100°C. Both reactions are catalyzed by a Lewis acidic species that is generated in a chloroaluminate ionic liquid. The alkylate product forms a…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 28.54
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 49
Authors
10Topics & keywords
- Alkylation
- Ionic liquid
- Polyolefin
- Exothermic reaction
- Polymer
- Chemistry
- Endothermic process
- Catalysis