Synergy between acidity and Pt in Pt/HY zeolite for boosting the hydrocracking of polyethylene to C₅-C₇ liquid fuels

Plastic pollution is a growing concern, thus, the utilization of plastic resources to produce alternative fuels has attracted considerable attention. A modulation strategy that encompasses the acidity and metal loading of the HY zeolite is an effective solution that permits control over potential interactions between acidic sites, active metal sites and the pore structure. Herein, we present an easy approach to modify microporous HY zeolite via direct acid leaching to fabricate Pt-loaded HY zeolite with tunable fine-tuned porous structure, high Pt nanoparticles distribution and suitable acidity. This modulation strategy facilitates more effective conversion of polyolefins to C₅C₇ liquid while suppressing undesirable excessive cracking. Compared with Pt-HY, Pt-HY-0.1 catalyst achieved significant enhancements in the conversion of low-density polyethylene (97.5 % vs. 72.3 %) and yield of C₅C₇ liquid fuel products (79.6 % vs. 20.3 %), achieving 59.7 (g^-1·h^-1) time space yield of C₅C₇ liquid products with 30 of PE/catalyst ratio.