Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have created a process that transforms polyethylene, one of the most commonly produced plastics found in items like shopping bags and cutting boards, into fuel compounds resembling gasoline and diesel. The method employs molten salts containing aluminum chloride, which simultaneously serve as both the reaction medium and the catalyst driving the chemical conversion. A patent application has been filed for the technology, with results published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
The research team used advanced analytical techniques including soft X-ray spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance to examine the chemical mechanisms underlying the transformation. Charged aluminum atoms create highly acidic catalytic sites that break apart the long molecular chains characteristic of polyethylene into smaller hydrocarbon molecules. Experiments demonstrated that simpler polymer chains tend to yield gasoline-like compounds, while more complex chains produce diesel-like fuels. The process achieved a gasoline yield of approximately 60 percent under relatively mild reaction conditions.
A distinctive advantage of this approach compared with conventional plastic-to-fuel technologies is its operational efficiency and simplicity. The method operates at temperatures below 200 degrees Celsius, substantially lower than traditional pyrolysis approaches that typically require temperatures between 450 and 500 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the process eliminates the need for expensive noble-metal catalysts, organic solvents, external hydrogen, or chemical initiators, potentially making it easier to scale beyond laboratory settings.
Oak Ridge has conducted molten salt research for decades, beginning with the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment in the 1960s. Researchers from multiple scientific disciplines contributed expertise in polymer science, neutron scattering, analytical chemistry, and materials analysis. If successfully scaled to industrial levels, the technology could contribute to U.S. energy security and strengthen industrial competitiveness by creating value from plastic waste streams.
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