Dual-catalytic depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

Abstract

Limiting our plastic waste and finding greener, more sustainable solutions for disposal is currently an environmental priority. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the more prominent single-use plastics, has recently been under investigation for chemical recycling as a means to ameliorate the environmental impact. This work reports a dual-catalytic approach to the chemical recycling of PET, aiming to combine inexpensive, readily available Lewis acid–base pairs to exhibit cooperative catalytic activity.