The University of Southern California will receive $539,543 from the National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences federal grant program (CFDA 47.049) to develop environmentally friendly methods for recycling polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic waste. Drs. Megan Fieser and Shaama Mallikarjun Sharada will lead efforts to selectively dechlorinate or dehydrochlorinate PVC using homogeneous catalytic processes, with the goal of transforming PVC into value-added chemicals and polymers without generating harmful hydrochloric acid. Computational analysis will help interpret experimental results and guide catalyst selection. The work aims to unveil new recycling routes for PVC that leave benign chlorine-containing products or functionalized polymers and dienes. If successful, these mild catalytic methods could provide a more sustainable approach for repurposing PVC, addressing plastic pollution issues. The award period is from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2025.
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