# US 12,214,340 B2 · Catalytic polymer processing

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- Number: US 12,214,340 B2
- Document ID: US12214340B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/096,758
- Filed: 2023-01-13
- Published: 2023-06-01
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-01-24
- Assignees: Uchicago Argonne, LLC; The Regents of the University of California, a California corporation; Cornell University; Northwestern University, An Illinois Not for Profit Corporation; Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
- Applicants: Uchicago Argonne, LLC; The Regents of the University of California, A California Corporation; Cornell University; Northwestern University, An Illinois Not-for-Profit Organization; Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
- Inventors: Massimiliano Delferro; Magali S. Ferrandon; Kenneth R. Poeppelmeier; Aaron D. Sadow; Susannah Scott; Anne M. LaPointe; Geoffrey Coates
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214340B2

## CPC

- B01J 23/42: Platinum
- B01J 23/002: {Mixed oxides other than spinels, e.g. perovskite}
- B01J 35/45: Nanoparticles
- B01J 37/0209: {involving a reaction between the support and a fluid}
- C08F 8/50: Partial depolymerisation
- C08F 10/02: Ethene
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS

## Abstract

A method of upcycling polymers to useful hydrocarbon materials. A catalyst with nanoparticles on a substrate selectively docks and cleaves longer hydrocarbon chains over shorter hydrocarbon chains. The catalyst includes metal nanoparticles in an order array on a substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A catalyst comprising:
a perovskite substrate; and
a plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles, having an average size of 5 nm±4 nm, anchored to the perovskite substrate at exposed undercoordinated metal centers of the perovskite substrate;
wherein the plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles are configured for an interparticle spacing corresponding to a desired hydrocarbon fragment product of a catalyzed polymer hydrogenolysis reaction; and
further wherein the plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles are anchored to the exposed undercoordinated metal centers at distances selected from the group consisting of ˜20 Å, 14 Å, 9.8 Å, and 3.4 Å.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The catalyst of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles comprises a first metal nanoparticle and a second metal nanoparticle having a different composition from the first metal nanoparticle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The catalyst of claim 1, wherein the perovskite substrate is selected from the group consisting of perovskites with general formula ABO3-x, where x is in the range 0≤x≤0.5, A is strontium, barium, or calcium, and B is titanium.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The catalyst of claim 3, wherein the perovskite substrate is strontium titanate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The catalyst of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles comprise a noble metal having an average particle size of 1 nm.

### Claim 6

A catalyst comprising:
a perovskite substrate; and
a plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles anchored to the perovskite substrate at exposed undercoordinated metal centers of the perovskite substrate;
wherein the plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles are anchored to the exposed undercoordinated metal centers at distances selected from the group consisting of ˜20 Å, 14 Å, 9.8 Å, and 3.4 Å.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The catalyst of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles has an average size of 1 nm to 9 nm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The catalyst of claim 6, wherein the plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles comprises a first metal nanoparticle and a second metal nanoparticle having a different composition from the first metal nanoparticle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The catalyst of claim 6, wherein the plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles have interparticle spacing of 3.5 nm to 6.5 nm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The catalyst of claim 6, wherein the perovskite substrate is selected from the group consisting of perovskites with general formula ABO3-x, where x is in the range 0≤x≤0.5, A is strontium, barium, or calcium, and B is titanium.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The catalyst of claim 10, wherein the perovskite substrate is strontium titanate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The catalyst of claim 6, wherein the plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles have an average particle size of 5 nm (+/−4 nm).

### Claim 13 (depends on 6)

The catalyst of claim 6, wherein the plurality of ordered metal nanoparticles comprise a noble metal.