Upcycling polyolefins to methane-free liquid fuel by a Ru1-ZrO2 catalyst

Jicong Yan; Guanna Li; Zhanwu Lei; Xiaolu Yuan; Junting Li; Xiaoru Wang; Bo Wang; Fuping Tian; Tao Hu; Lei Huang; Yujia Ding; Xiaoke Xi; Feng Zhu; Shuo Zhang; Jiong Li; Yu Chen; Ruiguo Cao; Xiang Wang

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-57998-x

Nature Communications (Mar 2025)

Upcycling polyolefins to methane-free liquid fuel by a Ru1-ZrO2 catalyst

Jicong Yan,
Guanna Li,
Zhanwu Lei,
Xiaolu Yuan,
Junting Li,
Xiaoru Wang,
Bo Wang,
Fuping Tian,
Tao Hu,
Lei Huang,
Yujia Ding,
Xiaoke Xi,
Feng Zhu,
Shuo Zhang,
Jiong Li,
Yu Chen,
Ruiguo Cao,
Xiang Wang

Affiliations

Jicong Yan: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology
Guanna Li: Biobased Chemistry and Technology, Wageningen University
Zhanwu Lei: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China
Xiaolu Yuan: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology
Junting Li: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology
Xiaoru Wang: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology
Bo Wang: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology
Fuping Tian: School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology
Tao Hu: School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology
Lei Huang: Research Center of Nano Science and Technology, College of Sciences, Shanghai University
Yujia Ding: Department of Physics and CSRRI, Illinois Institute of Technology
Xiaoke Xi: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China
Feng Zhu: TRACE EM Unit and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong
Shuo Zhang: Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jiong Li: Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yu Chen: Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ruiguo Cao: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China
Xiang Wang: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57998-x
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Abstract Upcycling waste plastics into liquid fuels presents significant potential for advancing the circular economy but is hindered by poor selectivity and low-value methane byproduct formation. In this work, we report that atomic Ru-doped ZrO2 can selectively convert 100 grams of post-consumer polyethylene and polypropylene, yielding 85 mL of liquid in a solvent-free hydrocracking. The liquid (C5-C20) comprises ~70% jet-fuel-ranged branched hydrocarbons (C8-C16), while the gas product is liquefied-petroleum-gas (C3-C6) without methane and ethane. We found that the atomic Ru dopant in the Ru-O-Zr moiety functionalizes its neighboring O atom, originally inert, to create a Brønsted acid site. This Brønsted acid site, rather than the atomic Ru dopant itself, selectively governs the internal C−C bond cleavage in polyolefins through a carbonium ion mechanism, thereby enhancing the yield of jet-fuel-ranged hydrocarbons and suppressing methane formation. This oxide modulation strategy provides a paradigm shift in catalyst design for hydrocracking waste plastics and holds potential for a broad spectrum of applications.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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