Sugar-derived catalyst boosts plastic recycling and hydrogen production

DGIST’s Professor Chiyoung Park’s team has developed a catalytic technology that effectively removes additives that hinder plastic recycling, using components derived from sugar. This study not only provides an alternative to conventional complex and costly processes but also suggests the expandability of this technology into plastic recycling and environmental remediation. The paper is published in the Chemical Engineering Journal.

The research team used cyclodextrin (CD), a cyclic molecule extracted from sugar, to develop a catalyst capable of effectively decomposing flame retardants that obstruct plastic recycling. This catalyst consists of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), fullerene (C₆₀), and cyclodextrin, and it can be made in a short time with only a simple mortar and pestle process through a mechanochemical mixing technique developed by the research team. Moreover, it demonstrated excellent performance in significantly accelerating hydrogen production and decomposing plastic additives.

Notably, this catalytic technology enhances recyclability by effectively removing halogen-based flame retardants, which hinder the recycling of engineering plastics. This is expected to create a major breakthrough that provides a solution for recycling plastic products manufactured before the implementation of environmental regulations.

“This research is an example of how the strengths of supramolecular chemistry can overcome the limitations of conventional industrial processes,” stated Professor Chiyoung Park. “We plan to further expand our research into environmental remediation technology using molybdenum disulfide catalysts.”

The study was a collaboration between DGIST Department of Energy Science and Engineering Professor Chiyoung Park’s team (Ph.D. candidate Seokhyung Boo, integrated M.S.-Ph.D. student Wansoo Cho, and M.S. graduate Chaewon Lee) and Kyungpook National University Professor Hyojung Cha’s team (Ph.D. candidate Gayoung Ham).