Catalytic upcycling of polystyrene waste to diphenylmethane
This technology converts waste polystyrene — the foam and plastic used in cups, packaging, and insulation — into diphenylmethane, a valuable industrial chemical used in fragrances, pharmaceuticals, and polymer production. The process uses a combination of UV light and a Lewis acid catalyst in a dry solvent environment to break down and chemically rearrange the polystyrene chains. Diphenylmethane is a significantly higher-value output than the fuel or low-grade oil typically produced by pyrolysis-based plastic recycling. The approach essentially turns a landfill liability into a marketable commodity chemical.
What you could build
A chemical upcycling process licensed to specialty chemical companies or advanced recyclers who want to produce diphenylmethane from polystyrene feedstock rather than disposing of it; buyers would be specialty chemical producers, fragrance ingredient suppliers, or vertically integrated recyclers seeking higher-margin outputs.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia-based chemical manufacturers, plastics recyclers, or waste management firms looking to differentiate on sustainability and extract commodity chemical value from post-consumer polystyrene.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Guoliang LIU, Zhen XU
- Filed
- Patent pending — filed March 25, 2024
- Status
- Application
- Publication number
- US20240392097A1
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology. Email us for an introduction prosim@harbor.capital.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.