Product Selection Toward High-Value Hydrogen and Bamboo-Shaped Carbon Nanotubes from Plastic Waste by Catalytic Microwave Processing
Abstract
The escalating levels of plastic waste and energy crises underscore the urgent need for effective waste-to-energy strategies. This study focused on converting polypropylene wastes into high-value products employing various iron-based catalysts and microwave radiative thermal processing. The Al-Fe catalysts exhibited exceptional performance, achieving a hydrogen utilization efficiency of 97.65% and a yield of 44.07 mmol/g PP. The gas yields increased from 19.99 to 94.21 wt % compared to noncatalytic experiments. Furthermore, this catalytic system produced high-value bamboo-shaped carbon nanotubes that were absent in other catalysts. The mechanism analysis on catalytic properties and product yields highlighted the significance of oxygen vacancies in selecting high-value products through two adsorption pathways. Moreover, the investigation examined the variations in product distribution mechanisms between conventional and microwave pyrolysis, in which microwave conditions resulted in 4 times higher hydrogen yields. The technoeconomic assessment and Monte Carlo risk analysis further compared the disparity. The microwave technique had a remarkable internal rate of return (IRR) of 39%, leading to an income of $577/t of plastic with a short payback period of 2.5 years. This research offered sustainable solutions for the plastic crisis, validating the potential applicability of commercializing the research outcomes in real-world scenarios.
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In microwave pyrolysis with Al-Fe catalyst, compared to noncatalytic experiments, gas yield increased from 19.99 wt% to 94.21 wt%, and high-value carbon nanotubes were produced.
“Experimental results showed that the Al-Fe catalyst exhibited the best performance: compared to noncatalytic experiments, gas yield increased from 19.99 wt% to 94.21 wt%, and high-value carbon nanotubes were produced.”
From Functional carbon materials from waste plastics: synthesis and applications (2025) · cites this paper as [73]
Compared to conventional pyrolysis, microwave pyrolysis yielded four times more hydrogen and demonstrated higher economic feasibility.
“Compared to conventional pyrolysis, microwave pyrolysis yielded four times more hydrogen and demonstrated higher economic feasibility.”
From Functional carbon materials from waste plastics: synthesis and applications (2025) · cites this paper as [73]
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Functional carbon materials from waste plastics: synthesis and applications
Yuan, J., Yang, G., Zhou, X., Huang, J., & Chen, Y. (2025) · Sustainable Carbon Materials · doi:10.48130/scm-0025-0005 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
- Authors
- Li, J., Chen, K., Lin, L., Han, S., Meng, F., Hu, E., Qin, W., Gao, Y., & Jiang, J.
- Affiliations
- Tsinghua University (CN)
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Corresponding author
- Jiang, Jianguo
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2024-08-05
- Volume
- 58
- Issue
- 33
- Pages
- 14675-14686
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W4401328000
- Cited by
- 44
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 1
- FWCI
- 4.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (22376115)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes
- Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Catalysis › Catalysts for Methane Reforming
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Municipal Solid Waste Management
- Keywords
- plastic waste, polypropylene pyrolysis, microwave pyrolysis, catalytic pyrolysis, iron catalysts, hydrogen production, bamboo-shaped carbon nanotubes, oxygen vacancies, product selectivity, waste-to-energy, techno-economic analysis, Monte Carlo risk analysis
- MeSH terms
- Catalysis, Hydrogen, Microwaves, Plastics, Nanotubes, Carbon
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