Tetravalent metals modulated Zn-based layered double hydroxides and their mixed metal oxides for catalytic depolymerization of carbonyl-coordinating plastic waste

Plastic waste generation has become a global issue and presents a significant challenge concerning degradability in the environment. This poses a serious threat and adverse impact on the health of living creature and the environment ecosystem. The up-/re-cycling of plastic waste through catalytic depolymerization is becoming a sustainable way to reduce economic concerns about production and serious environmental impacts. Here, in the present study an effort has been made for the development of catalysts for efficient recycling of carbonyl group containing polymer waste [Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate (PC)]. The sequential preparation of ZnM^IV- and ZnAlM^IV- LDHs (layered double hydroxides) (M^IV= Zr and Ti) and their respective mixed metal oxide (MMOs) based catalytic materials, has been carried out by one-pot co-precipitation and calcination methods. The structural parameters were examined through the various characterisation techniques including XRD, FTIR, TEM, SEM, and EDS. The layered structure, high crystalline nature and hexagonal 2D-sheet/flakes like morphology with average particle size ranging from ∼14–51 nm [for LDHs] and ∼6–21 nm [for MMOs] were observed. Depolymerization of PET and PC using LDHs/MMOs catalyst in ethylene glycols (EG) produced bis(2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate) (BHET) and bisphenol A (BPA) monomers as main products, respectively. The catalyst quantity, concentration of solvent, recyclability of catalysts, reaction duration, and crystallization time have also been further investigated for better yield during catalytic glycolysis. The isolated monomers were further characterized by using melting point, mass spectroscopy, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and FTIR analysis. The order of catalytic activities of prepared samples as ZnTi-LDH˃ ZnAlTi-LDH ˃ ZnTi-MMO˃ ZnAlZr-LDH˃ ZnAlTi-MMO˃ ZnZr-LDH in PET depolymerization while in case of PC, the order as ZnTi-LDH˃ ZnAlTi-LDH ˃ ZnZr-LDH˃ ZnAlZr-LDH˃ ZnZr-MMO˃ ZnAlZr-MMO˃ ZnTi-MMO˃ ZnAlTi-MMO were observed. LDH samples showed higher catalytic conversion than their respective MMOs during PET and PC depolymerization into monomers BHET and BPA with % yield of ∼76–83 % and ∼81–89 %, respectively. ZnTi-LDH shows high catalytic efficacy in depolymerization of PET and PC with yield of (∼82 %) BHET monomer and (89 %) BPA. This catalyst displayed good recyclability more than eight cycles during this catalytic glycolysis study.