About this Research Topic
The excessive production and improper disposal of plastic materials have given rise to a critical problem of plastic waste, sparking numerous concerns such as damage to natural ecosystems, the pervasive issue of microplastic pollution, and potential health hazards. While recycling could address this issue, conventional mechanical methods impose stringent feedstock requirements and result in lower product quality. This has prompted the scientific and industrial communities to explore more advanced recycling technologies, such as pyrolysis, solvolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction, mild oxidation, and gasification. Critically, the employment of catalysts lowers the energy demand of such technologies and steers the products towards monomers to create virgin-grade plastic, suitable for the most strictly regulated applications, or to produce other valuable materials such as fuels.
Catalytic conversion of waste plastics presents significant potential for extracting value from these materials, while mitigating their adverse environmental impact. Although high temperatures (200-800 °C) are typically required for thermochemical conversion, the development of catalytic strategies improves energy efficiency and product selectivity. These research efforts should prioritize the carbon and energy efficiency of recycling technologies to facilitate the circular economy of plastics. The influence of varying plastic feeds, reactor type, and other operating parameters on product distribution must also be carefully understood to provide a viable process. The primary goal of this Research Topic is to showcase how recent advancements in the field of catalytic conversion of waste plastics are facilitating the commercialization of these technologies. We aim to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing between the scientific and industrial sectors, with the ultimate aspiration of accelerating new breakthroughs in this critical area of development.
Original Research papers, as well as Mini-review, Review and Perspective articles, are welcomed. Potential topics may encompass, but are not restricted to, the following:
• Novel processes, technologies, and systems for producing desirable products from waste plastics via solvolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction, mild oxidation, depolymerization, etc.
• Catalytic pyrolysis, including novel catalyst synthesis, characterization, performance study, and deactivation pathways
• Gasification and downstream conversions
• Alternative energy sources such as microwave or plasma for advanced recycling
• Catalysis related to other novel processes (closed loop and open loop)
• Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of waste plastics recycling technologies.
Catalytic conversion of waste plastics presents significant potential for extracting value from these materials, while mitigating their adverse environmental impact. Although high temperatures (200-800 °C) are typically required for thermochemical conversion, the development of catalytic strategies improves energy efficiency and product selectivity. These research efforts should prioritize the carbon and energy efficiency of recycling technologies to facilitate the circular economy of plastics. The influence of varying plastic feeds, reactor type, and other operating parameters on product distribution must also be carefully understood to provide a viable process. The primary goal of this Research Topic is to showcase how recent advancements in the field of catalytic conversion of waste plastics are facilitating the commercialization of these technologies. We aim to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing between the scientific and industrial sectors, with the ultimate aspiration of accelerating new breakthroughs in this critical area of development.
Original Research papers, as well as Mini-review, Review and Perspective articles, are welcomed. Potential topics may encompass, but are not restricted to, the following:
• Novel processes, technologies, and systems for producing desirable products from waste plastics via solvolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction, mild oxidation, depolymerization, etc.
• Catalytic pyrolysis, including novel catalyst synthesis, characterization, performance study, and deactivation pathways
• Gasification and downstream conversions
• Alternative energy sources such as microwave or plasma for advanced recycling
• Catalysis related to other novel processes (closed loop and open loop)
• Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of waste plastics recycling technologies.
Keywords: Waste plastics, Thermochemical conversion, Recycling, Catalysis
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
