Upcycling of mixed plastics from bioprocessed municipal solid waste

R&D Focus Areas:
Biomass and waste conversion, Technology integration process improvement

Lead Organisation:
Macquarie University

Partners:
Monash University
ARC ENO TECH LTD

Status:
Active

Start date:
January 2024

Completion date:
December 2026

Key contacts:
Professor Yijiao Jiang: yijiao.jiang@mq.edu.au

Funding:
AUD$487,354 – Australian Research Council (ARC)

Project total cost:
AUD$1,200,358 – including cash and in-kind

Project summary description:
This project aims to develop a scalable catalytic process that can sustainably upcycle mixed plastics from bioprocessed municipal solid waste into hydrogen and valuable carbon nanotube products. The process will integrate pyrolysis, reforming, and carbon growth technology into a single reactor, enabled by the rational design of multifunctional catalysts. Through computational process simulation and optimization, life cycle analysis, and techno-economic assessment, investment and operational costs at larger scale are anticipated to be greatly reduced.

Related publications and key links:
https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/LP230100270|

Higher degree studies supported:
Two PhD students, one Masters student, and one post-doctoral researcher is supported.

 

Reviewed: February 2025