Papers

20 results
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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

Chemoenzymatic Photoreforming: A Sustainable Approach for Solar-fuel Generation from Plastic Feedstocks

Researchers developed a hybrid process combining enzyme pretreatment with solar-driven photoreforming to convert polyester plastic waste into clean hydrogen fuel and valuable chemicals under mild conditions. This approach offers a way to clean up plastic pollution while generating renewable energy simultaneously.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Upcycling plastic waste into electrode materials for energy storage applications

Researchers reviewed approaches for upcycling plastic waste into electrode materials for energy storage applications, finding that discarded plastics including polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET can be converted through pyrolysis and chemical activation into carbon-based electrodes for supercapacitors and batteries, addressing both plastic pollution and energy storage challenges simultaneously.

2025 Open Collections
Article Tier 2

Building a bridge from solid wastes to solar fuels and chemicals via artificial photosynthesis

This review examined photoreforming (PR) as a process that converts solid plastic and other waste materials into hydrogen fuel and value-added chemicals using solar energy, combining waste remediation with clean fuel production. The authors assessed photocatalyst design strategies that enable efficient PR of diverse waste streams including polyethylene and polypropylene.

2022 EcoMat 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Electrochemical Degradation of Plastic Waste Coupled with Hydrogen Evolution in Seawater Using Rosette‐Like High‐Entropy Oxides

Scientists developed an electrochemical method using high-entropy oxide nanosheets to break down polyglycolic acid (PGA) plastic waste while simultaneously producing hydrogen fuel from seawater. The process converts plastic-derived glycolic acid into carbonate at high efficiency while requiring significantly less energy than conventional water-splitting approaches. This dual-purpose technology offers a potential pathway for addressing plastic pollution while generating clean energy.

2025 Advanced Science 5 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

Catalytic pyrolysis of mixed plastic wastes using commercial grade kaolin and Ukpor clay from Nigeria

Researchers used local clay materials from Nigeria as low-cost catalysts to convert mixed plastic waste into liquid fuel through pyrolysis. The study demonstrates that waste plastic can be transformed into usable fuel using affordable, locally available materials — a practical recycling approach for developing regions.

2023 International Journal of Science and Research Archive 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Hybrid thermo-electrochemical conversion of plastic wastes commingled with marine biomass to value-added products using renewable energy

A hybrid thermo-electrochemical process was explored for converting marine plastic and biomass mixtures into useful energy products, addressing the challenge of plastics commingled with organic matter in ocean environments. The approach offers a potential pathway for valorizing hard-to-recycle marine waste streams.

2023 Energy & Environmental Science 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyurethane Foam Waste Upcycling into an Efficient and Low Pollutant Gasification Syngas

Researchers modeled the gasification of polyurethane foam waste under various conditions, finding that optimized thermochemical treatment can convert this common polymer waste into hydrogen-rich syngas with low pollutant output, offering a viable energy recovery pathway for difficult-to-recycle plastic foam materials.

2022 Polymers 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Harnessing Pyrolysis for Industrial Energy Autonomy and Sustainable Waste Management

Researchers designed a small-scale pyrolysis system that converts plastic waste into synthetic oil for industrial energy generation. The proposed unit processes 360 tons of plastic waste yearly to produce fuel capable of generating 500 MWh of electricity, with a total investment cost of approximately EUR 41,000 and potential annual revenue of up to EUR 45,000.

2025 Energies 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Electrocatalytic upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate to commodity chemicals and H2 fuel

Researchers developed an electrocatalytic process that breaks down waste PET plastic (the kind used in water bottles) into valuable chemicals and clean hydrogen fuel using a specially designed nickel-cobalt catalyst. The process achieved high efficiency at industrial-scale current densities, offering a potentially profitable way to recycle plastic waste into useful products.

2021 Nature Communications 678 citations
Article Tier 2

Electricity Generation and Plastic Waste Reduction Using the Fungus Paecilomyces as a Biodegrader in Microbial Fuel Cells

Researchers demonstrated that the fungus Paecilomyces can simultaneously generate electricity and break down plastic waste in microbial fuel cells. The system produced measurable voltage and current while reducing chemical oxygen demand by over 85%, and infrared spectroscopy confirmed degradation of the plastic material, suggesting a dual-purpose approach to waste reduction and energy generation.

2024 Sustainability 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Using dual chamber microbial fuel cells for coupled microplastic biodegradation and bioelectricity production: assessing the effect of substrate

Researchers investigated using dual-chamber microbial fuel cells to simultaneously biodegrade PET microplastics and generate bioelectricity. The study found that microbial consortia in the fuel cell setup could break down microplastics while producing usable electrical energy, offering a potentially sustainable approach to microplastic remediation in wastewater treatment.

2026 Microbial Cell Factories
Article Tier 2

Exploration of operating conditions in the direct aqueous-phase reforming of plastics

This study explored direct aqueous-phase reforming of polyethylene terephthalate plastic as a way to produce hydrogen and alkanes, testing the effects of temperature, pH, and catalyst type. Platinum catalysts at 220 degrees Celsius produced up to 10 mmol of hydrogen per gram of plastic in 8-hour reactions.

2024 Fuel 5 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

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

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

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

Single-Step Electrochemical Upcycling of PET: Waste to Value-Added Chemicals, Oral Presentation

Researchers developed a single-step electrochemical method to upcycle PET plastic waste into value-added chemicals and organic materials, targeting the over 70% of plastic that ends up in landfills or oceans where it breaks down into microplastics.

2024 ECS Meeting Abstracts
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