In a major step forward for recycling and clean energy, a research team in South Korea has found a way to turn difficult-to-recycle plastics into hydrogen, using a new process that is both efficient and environmentally friendly.
Led by Dr. Chong-Pyo Cho at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), the team developed the country’s first continuous system that transforms thermoset plastics into a gas used to produce hydrogen.
Thermoset plastics are commonly used in cars, electronics, and other products because they can withstand high heat and chemicals.
But once they’re made, they can’t be melted down and reshaped like other plastics.
This makes them extremely hard to recycle, so most of them end up in landfills or are burned—both of which harm the environment.
As the global plastic recycling industry grows—it’s expected to reach 173 trillion Korean won by 2030—finding ways to recycle stubborn materials like thermoset plastics has become more important than ever.
That’s where Dr. Cho’s team made a breakthrough.
Their new method uses a process called gasification, which breaks down plastics at very high temperatures to produce syngas, a mix of gases including hydrogen.
The team created a continuous system powered by “oxy-fuel combustion,” a technique that removes nitrogen from the air to retain heat. This system can reach 1,300°C and recycle one ton of mixed thermoset plastic waste per day.
One of the biggest challenges with plastic gasification is tar—a sticky byproduct that clogs equipment and slows down the process. Traditional systems, which usually operate below 800°C, produce large amounts of tar.
Removing it requires expensive purification systems. But the high heat in the new KIER process breaks down the tar naturally, reducing it by 93.4% without the need for extra equipment. The tar level was measured at just 0.66 milligrams per cubic meter of gas, which is well below the limit required for commercial-grade hydrogen production.
In practical terms, for every kilogram of waste plastic processed, the system can produce about 130 grams of hydrogen. That may sound small, but it’s a promising step toward producing clean fuel from materials that were once considered useless trash.
The team has already demonstrated the technology at a pilot plant and secured three domestic patents and one international filing.
Dr. Cho says their next goal is to scale up to a plant that can handle two tons of plastic per day and continue working toward full commercialization.
This innovation not only helps reduce plastic pollution but also supports the global shift toward clean, sustainable energy.
Source: KSR.
