Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Liquid fuel production from catalytic pyrolysis of municipal plastic waste using synthesized Zeolite from Kaolin

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it evaluates a catalytic pyrolysis process using zeolite from kaolin to convert municipal plastic waste into liquid fuel as an alternative energy source.

2023
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

Thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of a real mixture of post-consumer plastic waste: An analysis of the gasoline-range product

Researchers performed thermal and catalytic pyrolysis on real post-consumer plastic waste mixtures using various catalysts, finding that polymer type strongly influenced gas, liquid, and char yields, and that zeolite catalysts produced gasoline-range hydrocarbon liquids with commercially viable compositions from mixed plastic feedstocks.

2022 Process Safety and Environmental Protection 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards fuels production by a catalytic pyrolysis of a real mixture of post-consumer plastic waste

Researchers tested in-situ catalytic pyrolysis of a real mixed post-consumer plastic waste stream from mechanical-biological treatment facilities, producing a liquid fuel fraction with properties comparable to gasoline, kerosene, and diesel.

2023 Fuel 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Catalytic pyrolysis of waste polypropylene using low-cost natural catalysts

Researchers tested three low-cost natural minerals — kaolin, hematite, and white sand — as catalysts for converting waste polypropylene plastic into fuel oil through a heating process called pyrolysis. Kaolin performed best, boosting oil yield to over 80% and producing higher-quality lighter oils at a cost of just $0.28 per kilogram, offering a cheap way to turn plastic waste into usable fuel.

2023 Scientific Reports 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Kinetic Analysis for the Catalytic Pyrolysis of Polypropylene over Low Cost Mineral Catalysts

This study analyzed the thermal decomposition kinetics of polypropylene plastic with different low-cost natural catalysts, finding that certain clay and zeolite-based catalysts significantly lowered the temperature needed to break down the polymer. Catalytic pyrolysis could be a practical approach for converting waste plastic into useful fuel oils, helping reduce the plastic waste that generates microplastic contamination.

2021 Sustainability 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Economic feasibility of catalytic cracking of polymer waste for fuel production

This study analyzed the economic feasibility of catalytic cracking of polyethylene and polypropylene plastic waste to produce liquid fuel, finding that the process can be cost-competitive under certain conditions. Converting plastic waste into fuel reduces the amount that degrades into microplastics in the environment while generating economic value.

2023 Revista de Geografia
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

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

An Appropriate Technology Approach for Utilizing Plastic Waste Derived Cooking Fuel to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution from Solid Fuel Cooking

This study explored slow pyrolysis of plastic waste as an appropriate technology for communities in developing regions to produce cooking fuel from waste materials that would otherwise be mismanaged. The approach was assessed for feasibility, safety, and community adoption potential as a low-cost plastic waste valorization strategy.

2022 Academic Society for Appropriate Technology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Metal Impregnation of Commercial Zeolites in the Catalytic Pyrolysis of Real Mixture of Post-Consumer Plastic Waste

This study tested the catalytic pyrolysis of real mixed post-consumer plastic waste using metal-impregnated commercial zeolites, finding that metal loading significantly influenced product yields and selectivity toward fuel-range hydrocarbons.

2024 Catalysts 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent developments in catalytic materials and reactors for the catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste into hydrogen: a critical review with a focus on the circular economy

This review examines recent developments in catalytic materials and reactor designs for converting plastic waste into hydrogen through pyrolysis. The study discusses how catalyst-assisted pyrolysis can transform plastic waste into valuable hydrogen fuel, contributing to circular economy goals while addressing the growing plastic pollution problem.

2025 RSC Advances 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Transformation of Single‐Use Plastics into Lighter Hydrocarbons via an Economical Coal Fly Ash based Zeolite Catalyst

This study is not directly about microplastics — it focuses on using coal fly ash-derived zeolite catalysts to break down single-use plastic waste (LDPE) into lighter hydrocarbons via pyrolysis, a chemical recycling approach.

2023 ChemCatChem 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Fuel cell and electrolyzer using plastic waste directly as fuel

Researchers demonstrated an electrochemical cell that converts solid plastic waste directly into electricity or hydrogen gas without incineration or gasification, using an acidic solution to dissolve polyurethane at 100–200 °C and oxidize it at a porous carbon anode.

2019 Waste Management 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Hydrocarbon Fractions from Thermolysis of Waste Plastics as Components of Engine Fuels

Researchers developed a thermolysis process to convert mixed plastic waste into liquid hydrocarbon fractions suitable for use as fuel additives. The process produced fuels with properties comparable to diesel components. Converting plastic waste into fuel is one approach to reducing the volume of plastic that ends up in the environment as microplastic pollution.

2021 Energies 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Innovations for Sustainable Plastic Waste Management in Nigeria

This paper reviews the current state of plastic waste management in Nigeria and proposes innovations for more sustainable disposal and recycling. Inadequate plastic waste management in rapidly urbanizing countries is a major driver of microplastic pollution in freshwater and marine environments.

2023 Environmental Contaminants Reviews 2 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

Upcycling of polyethylene to gasoline through a self-supplied hydrogen strategy in a layered self-pillared zeolite

Researchers developed a special zeolite material (a porous mineral catalyst) that converts polyethylene plastic waste into high-quality gasoline with over 80% yield, without needing expensive metals or added hydrogen. This breakthrough offers a practical pathway for recycling one of the most common plastics into usable fuel, potentially reducing plastic waste and reliance on fossil fuel extraction.

2024 Nature Chemistry 111 citations
Article Tier 2

Hydrothermal carbonization of plastic waste: A review of its potential in alternative energy applications

Researchers reviewed how hydrothermal carbonization — a process that converts materials into a coal-like substance using heat and water under pressure — can transform plastic waste into useful products like solid fuels, catalysts, and materials for energy storage devices. While the technology is promising, challenges like variable plastic feedstock quality and scaling up production must be addressed before widespread commercial use.

2023 Fuel Communications 36 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

Plastic pyrolysis over HZSM-5 zeolite and fluid catalytic cracking catalyst under ultra-fast heating

Researchers demonstrated that using induction heating — a fast, energy-efficient method — with catalysts can fully break down polyethylene and polypropylene plastics within 10 minutes, converting them into useful gases and liquid chemicals, offering a more economically viable recycling pathway than conventional plastic pyrolysis.

2022 Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-Pyrolysis of Plastic Waste and Lignin: A Pathway for Enhanced Hydrocarbon Recovery

Researchers investigated co-pyrolysis of plastic waste (polypropylene, polyethylene) with lignin biomass at various ratios and temperatures to recover valuable hydrocarbons. They found that mixing plastics with lignin enhanced the recovery of higher-value chemical products, with the best results at 600 degrees Celsius using polyethylene-lignin mixtures. The study demonstrates a pathway for converting both plastic and biomass waste into useful chemical feedstocks, potentially reducing plastic pollution.

2025 Energies 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Chemical Recycling of Plastics by Microwave‐Assisted High‐Temperature Pyrolysis

Researchers developed a microwave-assisted high-temperature pyrolysis method that continuously breaks down mixed plastic waste and plant oil into useful chemicals like ethylene and propylene. This chemical recycling approach could help divert plastic waste from the environment while producing renewable building blocks for new materials.

2020 Global Challenges 51 citations
Article Tier 2

КАТАЛІТИЧНИЙ ПІРОЛІЗ ВІДХОДІВ ПОЛІЕТИЛЕНУ ВИСОКОЇ ЩІЛЬНОСТІ: ФАЗОВИЙ РОЗПОДІЛ ПРОДУКТІВ І ХІМІЧНИЙ СКЛАД

This Ukrainian study examined catalytic pyrolysis of high-density polyethylene plastic waste using various catalysts, finding that catalyst choice strongly controls the composition and proportion of gas, liquid, and solid products. The research frames plastic pyrolysis as a strategy to prevent plastic waste from fragmenting into environmental microplastics by converting it into useful fuel products instead. Identifying optimal catalyst conditions is a step toward practical industrial-scale plastic-to-fuel conversion.

2026 Herald of Khmelnytskyi National University Technical sciences