Regulating Cu + and Cu 0 Sites for the Upcycling of Waste PET Plastic to PX
Abstract
P -xylene (PX) is an essential high-value chemical with a wide range of applications. The use of waste plastics to produce high-valuable chemicals is considered to be one of the most effective and sustainable waste plastic recycling routes. Herein, a simple and efficient CuAlO X catalyst was developed for the upcycling of waste PET plastic to PX. The yield of PX was up to 98%, and the catalyst can be reused for five runs without obvious deactivation. Mechanism investigation indicated that Cu + and Cu 0 are the possible active sites, and the best ratio of Cu + to Cu 0 is 2.9. The optimal Cu + and Cu 0 sites are favorable for the absorption of ester, carboxylic acid, and alcohol groups and the desorption of PX, which is key for the selective hydrodeoxygenation of PET to PX.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Polymer crystallization and properties
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Volume
- 65
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 4896–4904
- Publication date
- 25 February 2026
- Language
- EN