Abstract

Catalytic hydrogenolysis provides promising opportunities for the chemical recycling of polyolefins. In this study, we have successfully developed a novel catalyst consisting of ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles supported on sodium titanate nanowires (Ru@NTO-NH) for the hydrogenolysis of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) into high-value long-chain alkanes under mild reaction conditions (180 °C, 1–2 MPa H2), achieving yields of up to 91%. Control experiments and thorough characterizations have elucidated that the exceptional catalytic performance of Ru@NTO-NH in the hydrogenolysis of polyolefins can be attributed to strong metal-support interactions (SMSI). NTO-NH exhibits stronger SMSI with Ru species than TiO2, leading to the formation of smaller Ru nanoparticles that are more positively charged and NaTiOx-overlayered. This unique configuration facilitates the adsorption and activation of H2 as well as the desorption of alkanes, thereby enhancing catalytic efficiency and selectivity towards liquid alkanes. Moreover, the Ru@NTO-NH catalyst demonstrates remarkable stability throughout recycling experiments (10 runs). Notably, apart from LDPE, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) can also be effectively converted into liquid alkanes through hydrogenolysis using this catalyst.

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