加州大学洛杉矶分校与韩国梨花女子大学的研究团队开发了一种碱性热处理工艺，能将混合塑料废弃物直接转化为高纯度氢气，同时将大部分碳以固体或液体形式捕获。[1]这一工艺在300-400摄氏度的温度下运行，远低于传统气化技术所需的温度。[1]该方法可处理聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯（PET）、聚乙烯（PE）和聚丙烯（PP）三种常见塑料，产生的氢气纯度超过90%。[1]
超过75%的塑料碳被转化为稳定的碳酸盐化合物或液体有机残留物，少于13%的碳进入气相，直接释放到大气的碳量可忽略。[1]在全球塑料治理背景下，这一工艺具有重要意义。目前仅有9%的废弃塑料被回收，79%进入垃圾填埋场，12%被燃烧。[1]项目首席研究员Ah-Hyung "Alissa" Park教授表示："我们同时解决了两个紧迫的全球问题。"[1]研究成果已发表于《美国国家科学院院刊》2026年第123卷第28期。[1]不过，研究人员表示该技术还需进一步测试才能用于商业规模应用。[1]
Researchers from UCLA and Ewha Womans University in South Korea have developed an alkaline thermal treatment process that converts unsorted mixed plastic waste directly into high-purity hydrogen gas while capturing the majority of carbon in solid or liquid form [1]. The method operates at temperatures 300-400 degrees Celsius lower than conventional gasification techniques and can process three common plastic types: PET, PE, and PP [1]. The resulting hydrogen gas achieves a purity exceeding 90%, with more than 75% of the plastic's carbon transformed into stable carbonate compounds [1].
The technology addresses a critical waste management challenge. Currently, only 9% of discarded plastic is recycled, while 79% ends up in landfills and 12% is incinerated [1]. The new process demonstrates significant carbon containment, with less than 13% of carbon entering the gas phase and negligible amounts released directly into the atmosphere [1]. According to Professor Ah-Hyung 'Alissa' Park, "We are simultaneously solving two pressing global problems" [1].
While the findings show considerable promise, researchers have indicated that the technology requires further testing before it can be deployed at commercial scale [1]. The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2026, Volume 123, Issue 28 [1].