The University of Delaware increased the porosity of a hydrogenolysis catalyst, speeding conversion of plastic waste into liquid fuels while producing fewer unwanted byproducts. The change improves reaction flow but still requires further R&D and industry partnerships to scale. Public concern about plastic pollution is strong in the U.S., and startups in Mexico and Canada are already piloting chemical-recycling technologies.
Catalyst Breakthrough Could Turn Plastic Waste Into Liquid Fuel
Illustration: Joanna Andreasson; Source images: iStock
In September 2025, researchers at the University of Delaware reported a modest but potentially important advance in hydrogenolysis — the chemical process that uses hydrogen gas and a catalyst to break molecular bonds. Applied to plastics, hydrogenolysis can transform items such as grocery bags and food containers into different materials or liquid fuels. Progress in this field has been constrained by catalysts that are inefficient at scale.
What the Researchers Did
The Delaware team modified a commonly used hydrogenolysis catalyst by increasing its porosity. According to the paper’s first author and the university’s press release, the added porosity allows the reaction to "flow more readily," improving contact between plastic feedstock, hydrogen, and the catalyst. The researchers report faster conversion of plastic waste into liquid fuels and fewer undesired byproducts compared with many current approaches.
Why This Matters
The improvement is relatively simple in concept but could lower some technical barriers to chemical recycling. If the result scales, it may help make conversion processes more efficient and reduce the amount of contamination and waste produced during conversion. The team emphasizes, however, that additional R&D and refinement are needed before the catalyst is ready for industrial partners and large-scale deployment.
Environmental And Policy Context
Plastic pollution is widespread: researchers have documented plastic debris on the floor of the Arctic Ocean, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, and traces of certain plastics in human tissue. Public concern in the United States is high. A February 2025 poll from the ocean-conservation group Oceana found that roughly 80% of registered voters support state and local policies to reduce single-use plastic foam. A 2024 World Wildlife Fund survey similarly showed that more than two-thirds of Americans favor fees or bans on single-use plastics.
Regulatory And Commercial Response
Lawmakers have acted in many places: eight U.S. states and numerous cities have enacted bans on single-use plastic bags, and some municipalities have restricted plastic straws. California — which already has a statewide bag ban — has filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil alleging misleading claims about the recyclability of its plastics.
The University of Delaware’s catalyst work does not eliminate the need for policy or other interventions, but it could complicate arguments for or against particular regulatory approaches if chemical recycling becomes more viable. Other companies are pursuing related paths: Mexican startup Petgas operates a pilot plant that converts styrofoam and hard plastics into high-octane gasoline and diesel with reportedly lower sulfur levels, while Canadian startup Aduro has developed a regenerative chemical-recycling process to upcycle common plastic waste and aims to scale that technology.
Takeaway: The porous-catalyst tweak is an encouraging technical development, but commercialization will require more research, pilot demonstration, and industrial partnerships.
Original reporting on this topic first appeared on Reason.com.
