Scientists have developed a new chemical process that can convert mixed plastic waste into clean hydrogen fuel while permanently trapping most of its carbon.
The breakthrough was achieved by researchers co-led by the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering in the United States and Ewha Womans University in South Korea.
Unlike conventional recycling methods, which require plastics to be sorted by type before processing, the new technique can handle a mixture of the three most common consumer plastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP), in a single reactor.
Researchers said the process produces high-purity hydrogen, a clean fuel that emits only water when used in fuel cells, while preventing most of the plastic’s carbon from entering the atmosphere.
A key feature of the technology is its built-in carbon capture system. Instead of releasing carbon dioxide like traditional incineration or gasification methods, the process uses sodium hydroxide to trap more than 75% of the plastic’s carbon, converting it into stable solid carbonates and liquid residues.
The solid carbon byproduct can later be transformed into calcium carbonate, a stable mineral that permanently locks away carbon and prevents greenhouse gas emissions.
The researchers also adapted an Alkaline Thermal Treatment (ATT) process that operates at temperatures 300°C to 400°C lower than conventional steam gasification, significantly reducing the amount of energy required.
The team believes the technology could help tackle the growing global plastic waste crisis while supporting the transition to cleaner energy, although further work will be needed before the process can be deployed on an industrial scale.
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