UCLA researchers turn mixed plastic waste into hydrogen fuel without sorting, locking CO2 into solid mineral

Researchers at UCLA and Ewha Womans University have demonstrated a chemical process that converts the three most common plastics (PET, PE, PP) directly into high-purity hydrogen fuel without requiring sorting. The alkaline thermal treatment (ATT) method operates at 300-400 degrees Celsius lower than traditional gasification and captures more than 75% of the plastic carbon as solid sodium carbonate or liquid residues, preventing atmospheric CO2 release. The process uses sodium hydroxide to react with mixed plastic waste in a single reactor, yielding hydrogen gas with purity above 90%. A thermal oxidation pretreatment activates polyethylene and polypropylene, which are normally inert under alkaline conditions. The sodium carbonate byproduct can be converted to calcium carbonate for use in cement or other industries. The researchers note further work is needed to optimize the process and evaluate economic viability before commercial deployment. If scaled, this approach could address two problems at once: plastic waste accumulation and clean hydrogen production for decarbonizing energy systems.