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Title: Catalytic Degradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Using a Phase‐Transitional Zirconium‐Based Metal–Organic Framework

Journal Article · · Angewandte Chemie
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [2]; ORCiD logo [6]
  1. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering South China University of Technology Guangzhou Guangdong 510640 P. R. China, Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road Evanston IL 60208 USA
  2. Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road Evanston IL 60208 USA
  3. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road Evanston IL 60208 USA
  4. Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road Evanston IL 60208 USA, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science &, Engineering, Pharmacology Simpson-Querrey Institute Chemistry of Life Processes Institute Lurie Cancer Center Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road Evanston IL 60208 USA
  5. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering South China University of Technology Guangzhou Guangdong 510640 P. R. China
  6. Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road Evanston IL 60208 USA, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road Evanston IL 60208 USA

Abstract Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is utilized as one of the most popular consumer plastics worldwide, but difficulties associated with recycling PET have generated a severe environmental crisis with most PET ending its lifecycle in landfills. We report that zirconium‐based metal–organic framework (Zr‐MOF) UiO‐66 deconstructs waste PET into the building blocks terephthalic acid (TA) and mono‐methyl terephthalate (MMT) within 24 hours at 260 °C (total yield of 98 % under 1 atm H 2 and 81 % under 1 atm Ar). Extensive structural characterization studies reveal that during the degradation process, UiO‐66 undergoes an intriguing transformation into MIL‐140A, which is another Zr‐MOF that shows good catalytic activity toward PET degradation under similar reaction conditions. These results illustrate the diversity of applications for Zr‐MOFs and establish MOFs as a new class of polymer degradation catalysts with the potential to address long‐standing challenges associated with plastic waste.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0001329; SC0012702
OSTI ID:
1864097
Journal Information:
Angewandte Chemie, Journal Name: Angewandte Chemie Journal Issue: 24 Vol. 134; ISSN 0044-8249
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
Germany
Language:
English

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