Hydrogenation of different carbon substrates into light hydrocarbons by ball milling
Abstract The conversion of carbon-based solids, like non-recyclable plastics, biomass, and coal, into small molecules appears attractive from different points of view. However, the strong carbon–carbon bonds in these substances pose a severe obstacle, and thus—if such reactions are possible at all—h...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40915-5 |
| _version_ | 1797558456289329152 |
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| author | Linfeng Li Olena Vozniuk Zhengwen Cao Pit Losch Michael Felderhoff Ferdi Schüth |
| author_facet | Linfeng Li Olena Vozniuk Zhengwen Cao Pit Losch Michael Felderhoff Ferdi Schüth |
| author_sort | Linfeng Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The conversion of carbon-based solids, like non-recyclable plastics, biomass, and coal, into small molecules appears attractive from different points of view. However, the strong carbon–carbon bonds in these substances pose a severe obstacle, and thus—if such reactions are possible at all—high temperatures are required1–5. The Bergius process for coal conversion to hydrocarbons requires temperatures above 450 °C6, pyrolysis of different polymers to pyrolysis oil is also typically carried out at similar temperatures7,8. We have now discovered that efficient hydrogenation of different solid substrates with the carbon-based backbone to light hydrocarbons can be achieved at room temperature by ball milling. This mechanocatalytic method is surprisingly effective for a broad range of different carbon substrates, including even diamond. The reaction is found to proceed via a radical mechanism, as demonstrated by reactions in the presence of radical scavengers. This finding also adds to the currently limited knowledge in understanding mechanisms of reactions induced by ball milling. The results, guided by the insight into the mechanism, could induce more extended exploration to broaden the application scope and help to address the problem of plastic waste by a mechanocatalytic approach. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:31:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7d3adb60054e418dbaf4e431e77c213d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:31:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-7d3adb60054e418dbaf4e431e77c213d2023-11-20T10:00:17ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232023-08-011411910.1038/s41467-023-40915-5Hydrogenation of different carbon substrates into light hydrocarbons by ball millingLinfeng Li0Olena Vozniuk1Zhengwen Cao2Pit Losch3Michael Felderhoff4Ferdi Schüth5Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institut für KohlenforschungDepartment of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institut für KohlenforschungDepartment of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institut für KohlenforschungDepartment of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institut für KohlenforschungDepartment of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institut für KohlenforschungDepartment of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institut für KohlenforschungAbstract The conversion of carbon-based solids, like non-recyclable plastics, biomass, and coal, into small molecules appears attractive from different points of view. However, the strong carbon–carbon bonds in these substances pose a severe obstacle, and thus—if such reactions are possible at all—high temperatures are required1–5. The Bergius process for coal conversion to hydrocarbons requires temperatures above 450 °C6, pyrolysis of different polymers to pyrolysis oil is also typically carried out at similar temperatures7,8. We have now discovered that efficient hydrogenation of different solid substrates with the carbon-based backbone to light hydrocarbons can be achieved at room temperature by ball milling. This mechanocatalytic method is surprisingly effective for a broad range of different carbon substrates, including even diamond. The reaction is found to proceed via a radical mechanism, as demonstrated by reactions in the presence of radical scavengers. This finding also adds to the currently limited knowledge in understanding mechanisms of reactions induced by ball milling. The results, guided by the insight into the mechanism, could induce more extended exploration to broaden the application scope and help to address the problem of plastic waste by a mechanocatalytic approach.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40915-5 |
| spellingShingle | Linfeng Li Olena Vozniuk Zhengwen Cao Pit Losch Michael Felderhoff Ferdi Schüth Hydrogenation of different carbon substrates into light hydrocarbons by ball milling Nature Communications |
| title | Hydrogenation of different carbon substrates into light hydrocarbons by ball milling |
| title_full | Hydrogenation of different carbon substrates into light hydrocarbons by ball milling |
| title_fullStr | Hydrogenation of different carbon substrates into light hydrocarbons by ball milling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hydrogenation of different carbon substrates into light hydrocarbons by ball milling |
| title_short | Hydrogenation of different carbon substrates into light hydrocarbons by ball milling |
| title_sort | hydrogenation of different carbon substrates into light hydrocarbons by ball milling |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40915-5 |
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