These types of innovations are hardly surprising today. With the level of technological advancement, the possibility of plastic eventually generating fuel is a reality. This has been demonstrated by experts. Scientists have developed an innovative method that converts mixed plastic waste into gasoline. The new technique achieves over 95% efficiency in a single step, operating at ambient temperature and pressure. As the authors of this discovery published in the journal Science, the process consists of a single step in which the collected plastics are dissolved using a mixture of ionic liquids and chemical elements widely used in refineries.

“The method supports a circular economy by converting various plastic waste into valuable products in a single step”

The research, led by institutions such as the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Columbia University, stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness. This breakthrough represents a promising and scalable solution to the problem of plastic waste. “The method supports a circular economy by converting various plastic waste into valuable products in a single step,” the experts state. Ninety-five percent of plastics are transformed into C6-C12 hydrocarbon molecules with properties identical to gasoline, which can be integrated into refining chains or commercial gasoline blends.

The remaining 5% of the material (of the 95% mentioned above) is released as hydrochloric acid

The new technique is particularly notable for its ability to process PVC, transforming it into chlorine-free hydrocarbons. It’s worth noting that the remaining 5% of the material (of the 95% mentioned above), which corresponds to the chlorine typically present in most plastic mixtures, is released as hydrochloric acid, which can also be recycled.

These organic compounds are common byproducts in refineries, which makes them easier to obtain

The easiest way to understand how the process works is to know that the mixture of certain products can make what is currently considered waste reusable. This is something that is already done with plastic, hence the insistence of environmentalists and experts on recycling at home. The secret of the process lies in the combination of plastic waste with light isoalkanes. These organic compounds are common byproducts in refineries, which makes them easier to obtain. The mixture reacts under ambient conditions, breaking down the plastic molecules. This process can significantly increase its effectiveness when the temperature is raised (a conversion rate of 96% at 80°C).

As a way of recycling plastic, it is much more efficient than the traditional separation and cleaning protocols carried out in recycling plants

Among the advantages of this process is the fact that it allows gasoline to be obtained without the need to extract petroleum, but it also allows it to be obtained with mixtures of all kinds of plastics, at room temperature, and with minimal energy expenditure. Furthermore, as a way of recycling plastic, it is much more efficient than the traditional separation and cleaning protocols carried out in recycling plants. It is important to note that the hydrochloric acid resulting from the process can be recovered, neutralized, and reused as an industrial raw material.

The ability to transform a serious environmental problem, such as plastic waste, opens a new path

It’s important to focus on the advantages, as fuel is currently quite essential for human life. Therefore, the ability to transform a serious environmental problem, such as plastic waste, into a high-value product like gasoline, opens a new path for the circular economy, as we noted above. This means renewable energy, waste we can reuse, and deploy in fields where it’s needed.