Articles tagged with "chemical-recycling"
7 stunning discoveries from 2025 you should know
The article highlights seven significant scientific discoveries from 2025 that have advanced human understanding across various fields. One major finding challenges the popular hypothesis that our reality could be a computer simulation. Physicists and mathematicians demonstrated that simulating even small quantum systems would require computational resources exceeding the entire universe, making a “Matrix-style” simulation physically impossible under known laws. This result places fundamental natural limits on the feasibility of simulating reality, impacting physics, computer science, and philosophy. Another breakthrough comes from a US-China collaboration that developed a highly efficient, single-step chemical recycling process converting common polyolefin plastics directly into liquid fuel with up to 95% efficiency. This method operates under mild conditions, avoiding the energy-intensive, multi-stage processes typical of traditional recycling, and offers a promising solution to plastic waste and energy challenges. Additionally, archaeologists in Poland discovered two massive 5,500-year-old tombs within megalithic “Polish pyramids” built by the Funnelbeaker culture,
energymaterials-sciencechemical-recyclingplastic-wastefuel-productionsustainable-energycatalytic-processBottles, textile waste turned into valuable compounds with iron method
Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University, led by Professor Kotohiro Nomura, have developed a highly efficient and sustainable method to chemically recycle polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from bottles and textile waste. Their approach uses alcohols combined with an inexpensive and widely available iron catalyst, specifically iron(III) chloride (FeCl3), to selectively depolymerize PET into valuable terephthalic acid derivatives such as dimethyl terephthalate (DMT), diethyl terephthalate (DET), and bis(hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) with yields between 99.7% and 99.9%. This process operates under relatively mild temperatures (120–180 ºC) and does not require harsh acids or bases, making it a greener, cost-effective alternative to traditional chemical recycling methods. The method also benefits from the addition of a small amount of amine, which enhances catalytic activity without compromising selectivity. Importantly, this iron-cataly
materialschemical-recyclingPET-depolymerizationiron-catalystsustainable-materialsplastic-waste-recyclingcircular-economyMacroCycle found a shortcut for plastic recycling — catch it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
MacroCycle, a startup co-founded by Stewart Peña Feliz, has developed an innovative plastic recycling technology that promises to make recycled plastic as inexpensive as virgin material. Unlike traditional chemical recycling methods that break down plastic polymers into monomers, MacroCycle’s process loops polymer chains into macrocycles, which allows contaminants to be washed away and later reforms the polymers without retracing all the energy-intensive steps. This approach uses 80% less energy than producing virgin polyester, significantly outperforming other chemical recycling processes that only reduce energy use by 20-30%. The company is scaling up production with a reactor capable of producing 100-kilogram batches and is already generating revenue from fashion brands interested in sustainable materials. Peña Feliz, who previously managed ExxonMobil’s chemical recycling plant, recognized the environmental and energy drawbacks of existing methods and pursued a more efficient solution in collaboration with MIT postdoc Jan-Georg Rosenboom. Since starting the business in 2022, MacroCycle has raised $6.5 million in seed
plastic-recyclingsustainable-materialschemical-recyclingpolymer-scienceenergy-efficiencycircular-economytextile-recyclingThe engineers turning waste salt into the energy transition's missing link
The article highlights how two engineers, Bilen Aküzüm and Lukas Hackl, co-founders of Aepnus Technology, identified a significant but overlooked bottleneck in the battery supply chain: the chemical waste generated during mineral processing. Specifically, lithium extraction and battery recycling plants produce large amounts of sodium sulfate waste while simultaneously importing costly reagents like caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and sulfuric acid. This linear chemical use results in high operating expenses—up to 30-40% of costs—and environmental burdens due to waste disposal. Motivated by this paradox, the engineers developed an innovative electrolyzer system that converts waste sodium sulfate back into valuable reagents, effectively closing the loop on industrial chemistry. After five years of research, pilot projects, and material science advances, Aepnus Technology’s electrolyzer has demonstrated reliable, energy-efficient conversion of sodium sulfate into high-purity caustic soda and sulfuric acid without relying on rare catalysts. This breakthrough addresses a critical but under
energybattery-technologychemical-recyclingelectrochemistrysustainable-materialsclean-energy-transitionindustrial-chemistryWorld-first hydrogen plasma torch recycles plastic waste in 0.01 secs
South Korean researchers, led by the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), have developed the world’s first hydrogen-powered plasma torch capable of breaking down unsorted plastic waste into valuable chemicals in just 0.01 seconds. Operating at ultra-high temperatures of up to 2,000°C, this plasma-based process rapidly decomposes mixed plastics without the need for prior sorting, overcoming a significant barrier in current recycling methods. Unlike traditional pyrolysis, which operates at lower temperatures and produces numerous unwanted by-products, this hydrogen-fueled plasma torch selectively converts plastic waste into ethylene and benzene with 70-90% selectivity, yielding raw materials over 99% pure after purification—suitable for manufacturing new plastics. The use of 100% hydrogen fuel prevents carbon soot formation, enabling stable and continuous operation. This technology also effectively processes waxy residues from other recycling methods with over 80% selectivity. The project, involving multiple Korean research institutes and universities, has demonstrated that the
energyhydrogen-energyplasma-torchplastic-recyclingsustainable-technologychemical-recyclingcarbon-free-technologyNew catalyst breaks down mixed plastics into fuels at low heat
Northwestern University chemists have developed an innovative nickel-based catalyst that efficiently converts mixed single-use polyolefin plastics—such as milk jugs, plastic wraps, and disposable utensils—into valuable oils, waxes, and lubricants at relatively low temperatures and pressures. This process bypasses the traditionally necessary and labor-intensive sorting step, addressing a major bottleneck in plastic recycling. Unlike existing methods that require high heat and expensive catalysts, this single-site nickel catalyst operates at temperatures 100 degrees lower and half the hydrogen pressure, using significantly less catalyst material while achieving tenfold greater activity. The catalyst selectively breaks down branched polyolefins, enabling a cleaner and more efficient chemical recycling that produces high-quality products suitable for upcycling. A notable and unexpected finding was the catalyst’s improved performance in the presence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a toxic polymer that typically inhibits recycling processes. Even with PVC constituting up to 25% of the plastic mix, the catalyst maintained and enhanced its activity,
materialscatalystplastic-recyclingnickel-catalystchemical-recyclingpolyolefinssustainable-materialsThe science behind plastic recycling and why it needs a rethink
The article explores the challenges and limitations of plastic recycling, emphasizing that the issue extends beyond consumer behavior to fundamental thermodynamic, chemical, and engineering constraints. Since the invention of the first man-made plastic, Parkesine, in 1862, plastics have evolved into a diverse range of durable materials that have become ubiquitous in daily life. However, by the late 1960s, scientists began detecting widespread plastic pollution in the environment, prompting the adoption of recycling as a solution. Although recycling initially appeared promising by reducing waste and conserving resources, it has revealed significant drawbacks over time, including high costs, inefficiencies, toxicity concerns, and the release of microplastics. The article details the three main recycling methods: mechanical, chemical, and energy recycling. Mechanical recycling, the most common commercial method, involves collecting, sorting, washing, and reprocessing plastics like PET and HDPE but is limited by contamination and material degradation. Chemical recycling, a newer approach, aims to break down plastics to their original raw
materialsplastic-recyclingpolymer-sciencechemical-recyclingsustainable-materialswaste-managementenvironmental-engineering