Key Findings
A joint research effort by the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Gyeongsang National University, and National Taiwan University of Science and Technology has produced a catalyst capable of converting ethylene glycol—recovered from discarded polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles—into formate, a chemical feedstock. During testing, the team achieved a Faradaic efficiency of 86.37%, meaning approximately 86% of the electrical charge used in the reaction contributed to formate production. The catalyst maintained stability over 300 hours of testing using solutions derived from actual PET waste.
Technical Details
The catalyst consists of individual ruthenium atoms on nickel oxide sheets, prepared using carbon dioxide laser irradiation. This process creates oxygen vacancies and modifies the electronic interaction between the materials, stabilizing intermediates to facilitate the target product. The team utilized secondary ion mass spectrometry, spectroelectrochemical analyses, and theoretical calculations to confirm a progressive oxidation mechanism that controls the cleavage of the bond between the two carbon atoms in ethylene glycol.
Performance metrics include:
- Production rate: 0.18 millimoles of formate per hour per square centimeter.
- Operating potential: 1.6 volts versus the reversible hydrogen electrode.
Background and Context
Chemical decomposition of PET typically yields terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. While terephthalic acid is easily reused for plastic manufacturing, ethylene glycol is difficult to isolate due to its high boiling point and solubility in water. This electrochemical approach bypasses the need to isolate ethylene glycol from the decomposition solution before conversion. The study, published in October 2026 in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, distinguishes this chemical recycling pathway from general plastic depolymerization.
Significance and Outlook
While a favorable technoeconomic assessment was included, industrial scale-up requires further evaluation of waste preparation, formate separation, electricity consumption, and catalytic material recovery. Future testing will focus on demonstrating sustained production at a larger scale to compare material and energy balances against other PET utilization alternatives.
Source: https://inspenet.com/en/news/catalyst-pet-ethylene-glycol-formate/
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