Solvent- and metal-free upcycling of low-density polyethylene using a practical ZSM-5/Al2O3 bead catalyst

Upcycling plastic waste into valuable resources without solvents, precious metals, or additional H2 under mild conditions is a formidable challenge that requires new innovations. Herein, we document a catalyst based on Al2O3 beads and zeolite ZSM-5 (ZSM-5#Al2O3(2 h)). It cracked polyethylene (PE) into gasoline-range C4 − C12 hydrocarbons with a selectivity of 98% and a yield of >71% within 1.5 h at 260 °C. Characterization of the catalysts revealed a mesoporous structure and suitable Brønsted ac