China team’s super-efficient catalyst turns coal to plastic and other synthetics

The iron-based nanoparticle catalyst converts syngas, or synthesis gas, into hydrogen and carbon-based compounds called olefins by coupling two reactions that separately have limitations but together have synergistic effects.

This process produces olefins with a large variety of uses – including as chemical intermediates for pharmaceuticals, plastics, packaging materials, car parts and clothing – without the need for petroleum.

“This study represents a substantial breakthrough in enhancing hydrogen atom economy for syngas conversion,” the team said in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science on October 30.

Olefins are a class of hydrocarbon compounds – such as ethylene and propylene – that are key building blocks in the production of plastics, detergents, adhesives, solvents and synthetic rubber.

They are mainly produced by breaking down petroleum using high heat or converting methanol using catalysts, which can have limited efficiency and produce substantial waste by-products, including carbon dioxide.