Air-Enabled Electricity-Driven Depolymerization of Polyesters

Pham, Phuc H. [University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)]; Keyser, Sean P. [University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)]; Ticknor, Matthew [University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)]; Wyatt, Keenan W. [University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)]; Miller, Elisa M. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RSEI)] (ORCID:0000000276485433); Barlow, Stephen [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RSEI)] (ORCID:0000000190599974); Marder, Seth R. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000169212536); Luca, Oana R. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000229884909)

doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c08711

DOE OSTI · 2564352

Air-Enabled Electricity-Driven Depolymerization of Polyesters

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Abstract

This work describes the use of electrochemically generated superoxide (with air as the source of O 2 ) at carbon electrodes as a reagent for the depolymerization of polyesters. Here, we report the electricity-driven selective conversion of these common ester-based wastes into their foundational carboxylate and alkoxide building blocks. The results pave the way for an electrochemical approach to the recovery of molecular materials from ester wastes that uses air and electricity as key reagents for material recycling.

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY chemical depolymerization electrochemistry poly(ethylene terephthalate)polyesters polymer recycling superoxide

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Pham, Phuc H. [University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)], Keyser, Sean P. [University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)], Ticknor, Matthew [University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)], Wyatt, Keenan W. [University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)], Miller, Elisa M. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RSEI)] (ORCID:0000000276485433), Barlow, Stephen [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RSEI)] (ORCID:0000000190599974), Marder, Seth R. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000169212536), Luca, Oana R. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000229884909). 2025-04-14. Air-Enabled Electricity-Driven Depolymerization of Polyesters. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c08711

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