Plastics, detergents, adhesives, solvents and synthetic rubbers could be produced without need for petroleum, study finds.

Chinese scientists have developed a catalyst that can turn biomass and coal-derived syngas directly into building blocks for plastic and synthetic rubber with higher efficiency and sustainability than existing methods. The iron-based nanoparticle catalyst converts syngas, or synthesis gas, into hydrogen and carbon-based compounds called olefins by coupling two reactions that separately have limitations but together have synergistic effects. This process produces olefins with a large variety of…

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