Publication

Selective Conversion of Polyolefin Waste to Branched Alkanes via Methane‐Free Tandem Hydrocracking–Isomerization

2026

Abstract

In recent years, catalytic hydrocracking has emerged as a promising waste‐to‐feedstock solution for processing plastic waste. Although ruthenium nanoparticle catalysts exhibit high activity in converting polyolefins into small alkanes, they also tend to produce undesirable methane (CH 4 ) via terminal C─C bond hydrogenolysis. Herein, we report a Ru‐supported sulfated zirconia (RuSZ 1 ) catalyst for the efficient isomerization and hydrocracking of polyolefins without generating CH 4 . Various high‐M w polyethylene and polypropylene samples (up to 1 000 000 g/mol) were fully converted into branched alkanes (C 4 ‐C 20 ). Control experiments using RuSZ 1 revealed negligible scission activity for alkanes with fewer than seven carbons, suggesting that isomerization precedes hydrocracking. Hydrogenolysis to form C 1 and C 2 products is likely inhibited by saturation of sulfate species at the Ru sites, and these products were not observed under any reaction conditions. Full conversion of polyolefins under solvent‐free conditions was achieved, with up to 93% yield of C 3 ‐C 12 alkanes.

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/7b747b7e-0276-4330-a015-51cec3bef675

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2026

Abstract

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/7b747b7e-0276-4330-a015-51cec3bef675

About this result

Related concepts (32)

Alkane

In organic chemistry, an alkane, or paraffin (a historical trivial name that also has other meanings), is an acyclic saturated hydrocarbon. In other words, an alkane consists of hydrogen and carbon atoms arranged in a tree structure in which all the carbon–carbon bonds are single. Alkanes have the general chemical formula . The alkanes range in complexity from the simplest case of methane (), where n = 1 (sometimes called the parent molecule), to arbitrarily large and complex molecules, like pentacontane () or 6-ethyl-2-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl) octane, an isomer of tetradecane ().

Catalytic reforming

Catalytic reforming is a chemical process used to convert petroleum refinery naphthas distilled from crude oil (typically having low octane ratings) into high-octane liquid products called reformates, which are premium blending stocks for high-octane gasoline. The process converts low-octane linear hydrocarbons (paraffins) into branched alkanes (isoparaffins) and cyclic naphthenes, which are then partially dehydrogenated to produce high-octane aromatic hydrocarbons.

Cracking (chemistry)

In petrochemistry, petroleum geology and organic chemistry, cracking is the process whereby complex organic molecules such as kerogens or long-chain hydrocarbons are broken down into simpler molecules such as light hydrocarbons, by the breaking of carbon-carbon bonds in the precursors. The rate of cracking and the end products are strongly dependent on the temperature and presence of catalysts. Cracking is the breakdown of a large hydrocarbons into smaller, more useful alkanes and alkenes.

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Selective Conversion of Polyolefin Waste to Branched Alkanes via Methane‐Free Tandem Hydrocracking–Isomerization

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