Project

HYDROPLAST: Hydroprocessing for Plastics Circularity

Code
179C09125
Duration
01 April 2025 → 31 March 2029
Funding
Regional and community funding: IWT/VLAIO
Research disciplines
  • Engineering and technology
    • Heterogeneous catalysis
    • Chemical process design
Keywords
hydrotreatment plastics catalysis pyrolysis
 
Project description

HYDROPLAST is an innovative research initiative focused on developing an advanced chemical recycling technology for plastic waste. The project aims to optimize pyrolysis and hydroprocessing techniques to convert contaminated polyolefin plastic waste into high-value chemical building blocks, including monomers and circular naphtha. By addressing existing challenges in plastic recycling, HYDROPLAST contributes to the transition to a circular carbon economy.

Traditional mechanical recycling faces limitations due to contamination and material degradation, while current chemical recycling methods struggle with impurity removal. Pyrolysis-derived crude plastic oils often contain high levels of chlorine, bromine, oxygen, nitrogen, and metals, making them unsuitable for direct use in petrochemical processes. HYDROPLAST aims to overcome these obstacles through advanced catalyst design and process optimization.