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Overcoming limitations in polyolefins upcycling by codesigning endothermic-exothermic magnetocatalytic system
Nano Research Energy 2025, 4: e9120171
Published: 23 May 2025
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In the quest for low-temperature polyolefins upcycling, overcoming the decomposition temperature limitations caused by chemically inert carbon-hydrogen (C(sp3)–H) bonds remains a challenge. Here we report a tandem endothermic-exothermic magnetocatalytic (EEM) strategy for upcycling of polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) below their decomposition temperature (typically 300 °C). A series of commodity polyolefins (PP, PE, and their mixtures (PP+PE)) can be deconstructed magnetocatalytically at 290 °C, for which a high H2 selectivity up to 86% can be achieved. Magneto-thermal coupling simulations revealed that the interfacial temperature gap was the key to upcycling of polyolefins at low temperature. Overall, EEM method potentially provides a sustainable approach for end-of-life plastics upcycling.

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