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Reductive Photocatalysis Unlocks the Hydrodeoxygenation of Polycarbonate Plastic Into Fuel-Range Hydrocarbons
Rajat Ghalta1, Arzoo Chauhan1, Diku Raj Deka2,3
1Catalysis Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Rupnagar, Punjab, India.
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Polycarbonate (PC) is among the most challenging plastics to recycle because its robust aromatic C─O linkages resist conventional depolymerization strategies. Here, we report the first visible-light-driven photocatalytic system for the reductive depolymerization and hydrodeoxygenation of PC under ambient conditions, selectively producing propane-2,2-diyldicyclohexane (DCHP), a saturated hydrocarbon relevant to jet fuel applications. A multifunctional Ru@P-CHS(g-C3N4) catalyst integrates light harvesting, electron mediation, acidity, and hydrogen activation, enabling near-quantitative conversion of bisphenol A with ∼94% molar selectivity toward DCHP. The catalyst also efficiently depolymerizes a range of real-world PC waste. Mechanistic investigations, including in situ UPS, kinetic isotope effect measurements, H2─D2 scrambling experiments, and DRIFT-IR spectroscopy, reveal light-driven electron accumulation at Ru sites and the formation of Ru─H intermediates, confirming illumination-induced H2 activation at Ru that drives C─O bond cleavage. This work establishes a sustainable strategy for converting end-of-life plastics into fuel-range hydrocarbons and introduces reductive photocatalysis as a new paradigm for plastic upcycling.
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