Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Upcycling Waste Plastics into Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Composites via NiCo2O4 Catalytic Pyrolysis

Researchers used catalytic pyrolysis — heating plastic waste with metal catalysts — to convert post-consumer plastics into carbon nanotube composites, a high-value industrial material. Bimetallic nickel-cobalt catalysts produced the best results. This approach could help valorize plastic waste while reducing the volumes that end up in the environment as microplastic pollution.

2021 Catalysts 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Carbon nanotubes production from real-world waste plastics and the pyrolysis behaviour

Researchers produced carbon nanotubes from real-world waste plastics through pyrolysis, characterizing the thermal decomposition behavior of mixed plastic waste and demonstrating a valuable upcycling pathway for plastic pollution.

2023 Waste Management 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes from Plastic Waste Using a Stainless-Steel CVD Reactor as Catalyst

Carbon nanotubes were successfully synthesized from polypropylene plastic waste using a simple reactor, turning plastic waste into a high-value nanomaterial. This approach could provide an economically attractive way to deal with plastic waste while creating useful materials.

2017 Nanomaterials 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Hydrogen and Carbon Nanotubes from Pyrolysis-Catalysis of Waste Plastics: A Review

This review examines how pyrolysis of waste plastics coupled with steam reforming or catalytic processes can produce hydrogen gas and high-quality carbon nanotubes, covering different reactor designs and catalyst types. The work highlights waste plastics as a potentially valuable feedstock for generating both clean energy and advanced carbon materials.

2020 Waste and Biomass Valorization 241 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic-derived substrate-grown carbon nanotubes as freestanding electrode for hydrogen evolution in alkaline media

Plastic waste was converted into carbon nanotubes via pyrolysis and used as a high-performance electrode for hydrogen production, demonstrating a circular economy pathway that transforms plastic pollution into a clean energy material.

2023
Article Tier 2

Novel concept for synthesizing carbon nano-onion, graphene layers, and graphene nano-ribbons from polypropylene waste over Fe2O3 nanoparticles

Researchers developed a novel method for synthesizing carbon nano-onions, graphene layers, and graphene nano-ribbons from polypropylene waste using iron oxide nanoparticle catalysts produced under different fuel conditions. The study found that the optimal catalyst achieved a 280% yield of highly graphitized few-layer graphene, demonstrating a potential way to convert plastic waste into valuable carbon nanomaterials.

2025 Carbon letters 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Structure-oriented conversions of plastics to carbon nanomaterials

This review examines strategies for converting waste plastics into carbon nanomaterials including nanotubes, graphene, and porous carbon, highlighting how different plastic structures influence the resulting carbon products and offering a promising approach to reduce plastic pollution.

2022 Carbon Research 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Production of combustible fuels and carbon nanotubes from plastic wastes using an in-situ catalytic microwave pyrolysis process

Researchers developed an in-situ catalytic microwave pyrolysis process using ZSM-5 catalyst to convert plastic waste into hydrogen, liquid fuel, and carbon nanotubes, demonstrating a promising route for both energy recovery and valuable material production from plastic pollution.

2023 Scientific Reports 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficient catalytic upcycling of polyester and polycarbonate plastics using NNN-based iron catalyst

Researchers developed an efficient catalytic system using an NNN-based iron pincer catalyst to depolymerize polyester and polycarbonate plastics via hydrogenative methods, enabling either methanolysis into ester monomers or transfer hydrogenation into value-added products. The system provides an eco-friendly alternative for chemical upcycling of plastic waste, addressing the significant environmental burden of polyester accumulation.

2025
Article Tier 2

From Waste to Worth: Upcycling Plastic into High-Value Carbon-Based Nanomaterials

This study reviewed innovative methods for converting plastic waste into high-value carbon-based nanomaterials like graphene and carbon nanotubes. Researchers examined several techniques including pyrolysis, chemical vapor deposition, and flash joule heating, finding that thermal decomposition is currently the most scalable approach for industrial applications. The study suggests that turning plastic waste into advanced materials could help address pollution while also creating economically valuable products.

2024 Polymers 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Catalytic transformation of microplastics to functional carbon for catalytic peroxymonosulfate activation: Conversion mechanism and defect of scavenging

Researchers developed a method to convert high-density polyethylene plastic waste into functional carbon materials that can activate peroxymonosulfate to break down organic pollutants in water. Using a salt template-based approach with nickel chloride, they produced carbon nanosheets with high catalytic efficiency. The study demonstrates a promising approach for upcycling plastic waste into useful water purification catalysts.

2023 Applied Catalysis B: Environmental 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Upcycling of face masks to application-rich multi- and single-walled carbon nanotubes

Disposable face masks from the COVID-19 pandemic were converted into high-value single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes through a thermal upcycling process. The resulting nanotubes showed properties suitable for use in electronics and materials applications. This approach demonstrates a path for converting pandemic plastic waste into advanced materials rather than landfill.

2022 Carbon letters 6 citations
Article Tier 2

A Comprehensive Review on the Thermochemical Treatment of Plastic Waste to Produce High Value Products for Different Applications

This review summarizes methods for converting plastic waste into valuable products using high-temperature chemical processes like pyrolysis and plasma technology. These approaches can produce hydrogen fuel, carbon nanotubes, and other useful materials from plastic that would otherwise become pollution. Reducing plastic waste through better recycling technology is important because most microplastic pollution originates from improperly managed plastic products.

2025 Materials Circular Economy 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Carbon Nanotube prepared by catalytic pyrolysis as the electrode for supercapacitors from polypropylene wasted face masks

Researchers converted discarded polypropylene face masks into carbon nanotubes via catalytic pyrolysis using nickel-iron bimetallic catalysts, producing a bamboo-like nanotube structure with high specific capacitance (56 F/g) and excellent cycling stability that performed well as a supercapacitor electrode material.

2022 Ionics 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high-tech carbonaceous materials

Catalytic hydrothermal carbonization using iron-nickel catalysts successfully converted cotton and polyester textile microfibers into carbon nanostructures including carbon nanotubes, offering a circular economy pathway for the 0.28 million tons of microfibers shed annually during laundry.

2024 iScience 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Waste-Plastic Pyrolysis Oil as a Potential Feedstock for Lubricant Base Oil Production via Hydroprocessing

Scientists found a way to turn plastic waste into high-quality lubricant oil by heating it up and treating it with special metal catalysts. This process converted over 88% of the waste plastic into useful oil that could replace petroleum-based lubricants. This breakthrough could help reduce plastic pollution while creating valuable products, though more research is needed before it becomes widely available.

2026 Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Conversion of Polyethylene to Low-Molecular-Weight Oil Products at Moderate Temperatures Using Nickel/Zeolite Nanocatalysts

Incorporating small nickel nanoparticles into zeolite catalysts allowed polyethylene — the world's most widely used plastic — to be broken down into useful low-molecular-weight oils at 350 °C, compared to the 400 °C required without a catalyst. This lower-temperature catalytic process offers a more energy-efficient route to upcycling plastic waste and reducing microplastic pollution from discarded packaging.

2024 Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

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

A carbon nitride/nickel phosphide photocatalyst was used to photoreform non-recyclable PET and PLA plastic waste at ambient temperature, producing clean hydrogen fuel and organic chemicals without precious metals or toxic components. The study demonstrates a low-energy, scalable approach to converting plastic waste into valuable chemical feedstocks using sunlight.

2019 Journal of the American Chemical Society 632 citations
Article Tier 2

Dual-Doped Nickel Sulfide for Electro-Upgrading Polyethylene Terephthalate into Valuable Chemicals and Hydrogen Fuel

Researchers developed a catalyst that can convert PET plastic waste into valuable chemicals and clean hydrogen fuel using electricity. By doping nickel sulfide with cobalt and chloride, they achieved high efficiency and selectivity in breaking down a key PET building block. The study demonstrates a promising approach for upcycling plastic waste into useful products rather than sending it to landfills.

2023 Nano-Micro Letters 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent Progress in Low-Cost Catalysts for Pyrolysis of Plastic Waste to Fuels

This review evaluated low-cost catalysts — including zeolites, clays, and bimetallic materials — for the pyrolytic conversion of plastic waste into fuel, comparing their effects on product yield and quality and highlighting promising candidates for scaling up plastic-to-fuel processes.

2021 Catalysts 110 citations
Article Tier 2

The Chemistry of Carbon Nanotubes in Photocatalytic Degradation of Micro‐ and Nano‐Plastic

Researchers reviewed how carbon nanotubes — cylindrical structures made of carbon atoms — can be added to light-activated catalysts to dramatically improve the breakdown of microplastics and nanoplastics in water, as the nanotubes increase surface area and help separate electrical charges that drive the chemical degradation reactions.

2025
Article Tier 2

Carbon Nanomaterials from Polyolefin Waste: Effective Catalysts for Quinoline Degradation through Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation

Researchers converted mixed polyolefin plastic waste into carbon nanomaterials and used them as catalysts for quinoline degradation through catalytic wet peroxide oxidation, achieving effective removal of this toxic compound. The approach simultaneously addresses plastic waste accumulation and wastewater treatment challenges using a circular chemistry strategy.

2023 Catalysts 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Pyrolysis of Polyethylene Terephthalate over Carbon-Supported Pd Catalyst

Adding a palladium catalyst during PET pyrolysis at a ratio of 0.05 reduced the formation of harmful polycyclic hydrocarbons by up to 44% and biphenyl derivatives by up to 79%, compared to non-catalytic pyrolysis. The results suggest catalytic pyrolysis can make plastic waste chemical recovery safer by suppressing the formation of toxic byproducts.

2020 Catalysts 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Charting a path to catalytic upcycling of plastic micro/nano fiber pollution from textiles to produce carbon nanomaterials and turquoise hydrogen

Researchers demonstrated proof-of-concept for catalytic upcycling of polyester and cotton textile-derived microfibers into structured solid carbon products, using a defined fiber feedstock to establish a pathway for converting fiber pollution into value-added carbon materials.

2023 RSC Sustainability 3 citations