Imagine a high-tech microwave that doesn't just heat food, but breaks down old plastic bags and containers into clean fuel. Instead of letting plastic sit in a landfill for centuries, this system strips them down to create pure hydrogen gas and solid carbon. It's like a chemical recycling plant that produces energy and raw materials in one quick step.
Current plastic recycling is economically difficult, with 79% of plastic ending up in landfills. Simultaneously, the industry struggles to produce decarbonized hydrogen at a competitive cost.
An Ionic Liquid-based catalytic system combined with microwave irradiation. It converts LDPE, PP, and PS plastics into pure hydrogen and solid carbon.
If you are a recycling facility dealing with the fact that less than 9% of plastic is currently recycled — this project developed a catalytic system that converts LDPE, PP, and PS into hydrogen and carbon. This allows you to monetize waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.
If you are a hydrogen producer dealing with high production costs — this project developed a microwave-powered deconstruction method that uses plastic waste as a feedstock. This creates a low-cost, decarbonized stream of pure H2.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with the need for sustainable carbon feedstocks — this project developed a process that yields solid carbon as a co-product. This provides a reliable, decarbonized source of carbon materials from plastic waste.
The project aims to reduce H2 production costs by using plastic waste as a feedstock and utilizing microwave irradiation to lower energy consumption.
The project is currently focused on validating feasibility at Technology Readiness Level 4 (TRL4), meaning it is not yet at full industrial scale.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project involves 3 industrial partners who may hold or utilize the resulting IP.
The project is active from March 1, 2024, to February 29, 2028.
The system is designed to process Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and Polystyrene (PS), which are common daily consumption plastics.
The consortium is well-balanced for technology transfer, consisting of 6 partners across 3 countries (DE, ES, FR). With an industry ratio of 50% (3 industrial partners, including 1 SME), the project has a strong commercial orientation, bridging the gap between 2 universities and 1 research center and the actual market.
Contact CIC Energigune Fundazioa in Spain
Contact us to identify potential licensing partners for TRL4 plastic-to-hydrogen technology.
