Integrated low-temperature PVC and polyolefin upgrading
- Wei Zhang
- Boda Yang
- Benjamin A. Jackson
- Junbo Zhao
- Honghong Shi
- Donald M. Camaioni
- Sungmin Kim
- Huamin Wang
- János Szanyi
- Mal-Soon Lee
- Jingguang G. Chen
- Johannes A. Lercher
2025-08-14
Polyolefins and their chlorinated derivatives such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are among the most prevalent plastics in global production and waste streams. Traditional waste-to-energy methods such as incineration and pyrolysis, as well as most chemical upcycling methods for PVC utilization, require thorough, high-temperature dechlorination to prevent the release of toxic chlorinated compounds. We present here a strategy for upgrading discarded PVC into chlorine-free fuel range hydrocarbons and hydrogen chloride in a single-stage process catalyzed by chloroaluminate ionic liquids. This approach offsets endothermic dechlorination and carbon-carbon bond cleavage with exothermic alkylation and hydrogen transfer by isobutane or isopentane in a low-temperature tandem process. The light isoalkanes are available from refinery processes and partly from recycling of the product stream. This process is suitable for handling real-world mixed and contaminated PVC and polyolefin waste streams.