RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
Catalytic pyrolysis as a platform technology for supporting the circular carbon economy
Wrasman, C. J., Wilsom, A. N., Mante, O. D., Iisa, K., Dutta, A., Talmadge, M. S., Dayton, D. C., Uppili, S., Watson, M. J., Xu, X., Griffin, M. B., Mukarakate, C., Schaidle, J. A., & Nimlos, M. R. (2023). Catalytic pyrolysis as a platform technology for supporting the circular carbon economy. Nature Catalysis, 6(7), 563-573. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-023-00985-6
Catalytic pyrolysis, a process that combines pyrolysis and vapour-phase catalytic upgrading, is a versatile technology platform capable of direct liquefaction of biomass and waste plastic into intermediates that can enable the decarbonized production of chemicals and/or transportation fuels. Recently, catalytic pyrolysis has attracted substantial research and commercialization attention, with over 15,000 journal articles and patents published in the past decade alone. In this Perspective, we chart a path towards commercial-scale catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastic and biomass by identifying key short-term and long-term technological barriers. Within the proposed development roadmap addressing these barriers, catalytic pyrolysis can move from the demonstration scale to integrated biorefinery networks producing fuels and plastics precursors at a scale of between 0.1 and 1 billion tonnes of carbon per year.
