ORNL Researchers Patent Low-Temperature Method to Convert Polyethylene Waste into Gasoline
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a novel chemical process that converts polyethylene plastic waste into gasoline and diesel-like fuels using inexpensive aluminum-based molten salts. Operating at temperatures below 200 degrees Celsius, the method achieves a 60 percent gasoline yield without requiring noble-metal catalysts, organic solvents, or external hydrogen. Published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the technology offers a potentially scalable alternative to high-heat pyrolysis, though researchers must still address the salts' sensitivity to moisture before industrial application.