Project Grant 2554710

The National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry awarded Iowa State University $480,000 on August 15, 2026, for a Project Grant to develop artificial enzymes for chemical recycling and upcycling of aromatic polycarbonates.

Professor Yan Zhao of Iowa State's Department of Chemistry is creating new catalysts based on small polymer nanoparticles that imitate natural enzymes to break down bisphenol A-based polycarbonate and related plastics under mild conditions. The catalysts selectively recognize target plastics and cut their chemical bonds, enabling faster and more effective recycling and upcycling methods. The research aims to develop strategies that selectively break down one plastic in a mixture or convert waste plastic into useful building blocks for new materials, addressing the challenge that less than 30 percent of waste plastic is currently recycled and that bisphenol A-based polycarbonate is difficult to recycle efficiently because it is often mixed with other plastics during collection.

The project also trains student researchers in organic synthesis, catalysis, supramolecular chemistry, and polymer chemistry while demonstrating connections between fundamental science and practical problems in recycling and manufacturing. Outreach activities engage students in science and engineering, and training in patents and intellectual property prepares students for industrial careers.

Performance occurs in Ames, Iowa, with a period of performance through July 31, 2029. This award falls under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049).