PlasUp: Rekindle Plastic Waste Upcycling by Microwave Reactor with High-Entropy Catalyst

Every year, more than 360 million tons of plastic waste are produced worldwide, creating a major environmental challenge. Our project explores whether a single, energy-efficient process can break down these mixed plastics into valuable chemicals. We propose an innovative microwave reactor with high-entropy catalysts to target not one but a variety of plastic waste materials—using much lower temperatures than traditional pyrolysis and incineration methods. Our approach not only efficiently deconstructs over 90% of plastic waste but also transforms it into high-value feedstocks for synthesizing new materials, syngas and liquid fuel for energy, paving the way for a circular plastic economy with significant environmental and economic benefits. Moreover, the dataset and machine learning algorithms will pave the way for future research in this exciting field.