Sustainable plastic bottle recycling: employing zinc-deposited SBA-15 as a catalyst for glycolysis of polyethylene terephthalate

Pailin Srisuratsiri; Ketsarin Chantarasunthon; Wanutsanun Sudsai; Pichet Sukprasert; Laksamee Chaicharoenwimolkul Chuaitammakit; Wissawat Sakulsaknimitr; Pailin Srisuratsiri; Ketsarin Chantarasunthon; Wanutsanun Sudsai; Pichet Sukprasert; Laksamee Chaicharoenwimolkul Chuaitammakit; Wissawat Sakulsaknimitr

doi:10.3934/environsci.2024006

AIMS Environmental Science

2024, Volume 11, Issue 1: 90-106. doi: 10.3934/environsci.2024006

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Sustainable plastic bottle recycling: employing zinc-deposited SBA-15 as a catalyst for glycolysis of polyethylene terephthalate

Pailin Srisuratsiri ¹,
Ketsarin Chantarasunthon ¹,
Wanutsanun Sudsai ¹,
Pichet Sukprasert ¹,
Laksamee Chaicharoenwimolkul Chuaitammakit ^{2
,
,},
Wissawat Sakulsaknimitr ^{1
,
,}

1.
Department of Fundamental Science and Physical Education, Faculty of Science at Sriracha, Kasetsart University, Sriracha campus, Chonburi 20230, Thailand
2.
Chemistry and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Suratthani Rajabhat University, 272 Moo 9, Surat-Nasan Road, Khuntale, Muang, Surat Thani 84100, Thailand

Received: 23 November 2023 Revised: 03 January 2024 Accepted: 28 February 2024 Published: 06 March 2024

Novel catalysts for recycling PET bottles into monomers have been developed by depositing zinc onto the surface of SBA-15, mitigating ZnO catalyst agglomeration in glycolysis separation processes to enhance reaction yields. Various zinc compounds (Zn(OAc)₂, ZnCl₂, and ZnSO₄) were employed as substrates for catalyst design on the porous, high-surface-area material SBA-15 via impregnation. The presence of distinct Zn species on SBA-15 was confirmed through XRD and EDS analyses. The acidity of the catalyst, a crucial factor in the PET glycolysis process, was assessed using different Zn-containing precursors. NH₃-TPD measurement has revealed the highest acidity in ZnCl₂, followed by Zn(OAc)₂ and ZnSO₄, respectively. Glycolysis reactions with a PET:EG ratio of 1:5 and a 1% catalyst at 200℃ for 2 hours revealed the catalytic efficacy of zinc-deposited compounds in the sequence ZnCl₂ > Zn(OAc)₂ > ZnSO₄. Surprisingly, the ZnCl₂ catalyst produced the highest yield of bis-2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate (BHET) at 75% and displayed exceptional recycling capability over three cycles, contributing significantly to resource recovery objectives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- sustainable development goals,
- glycolysis,
- SBA-15,
- Zn catalyst,
- polyethylene terephthalate
Citation: Pailin Srisuratsiri, Ketsarin Chantarasunthon, Wanutsanun Sudsai, Pichet Sukprasert, Laksamee Chaicharoenwimolkul Chuaitammakit, Wissawat Sakulsaknimitr. Sustainable plastic bottle recycling: employing zinc-deposited SBA-15 as a catalyst for glycolysis of polyethylene terephthalate[J]. AIMS Environmental Science, 2024, 11(1): 90-106. doi: 10.3934/environsci.2024006

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Abstract

Novel catalysts for recycling PET bottles into monomers have been developed by depositing zinc onto the surface of SBA-15, mitigating ZnO catalyst agglomeration in glycolysis separation processes to enhance reaction yields. Various zinc compounds (Zn(OAc)₂, ZnCl₂, and ZnSO₄) were employed as substrates for catalyst design on the porous, high-surface-area material SBA-15 via impregnation. The presence of distinct Zn species on SBA-15 was confirmed through XRD and EDS analyses. The acidity of the catalyst, a crucial factor in the PET glycolysis process, was assessed using different Zn-containing precursors. NH₃-TPD measurement has revealed the highest acidity in ZnCl₂, followed by Zn(OAc)₂ and ZnSO₄, respectively. Glycolysis reactions with a PET:EG ratio of 1:5 and a 1% catalyst at 200℃ for 2 hours revealed the catalytic efficacy of zinc-deposited compounds in the sequence ZnCl₂ > Zn(OAc)₂ > ZnSO₄. Surprisingly, the ZnCl₂ catalyst produced the highest yield of bis-2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate (BHET) at 75% and displayed exceptional recycling capability over three cycles, contributing significantly to resource recovery objectives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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