The catalytic degradation of high density polyethylene (HDPE) was investigated using AlTUD-1 as catalyst, a recently discovered mesoporous
aluminosilicate. The catalytic activity of AlTUD-1 was evaluated by TGA measurements, using a polymer/catalyst ratio of 9:1. AlTUD-1 has
a Brønsted acidic behaviour, three-dimensional (3D) connectivities and a pore diameters between 2 and 50 nm. Compared to HY zeolite, the large
pore size of AlTUD-1 enhances a selective catalytic degradation of the polymer and prevents rapid deactivation. Moreover, the apparent activation
energy of polymer cracking is much lower than with HY zeolite. For these reasons, AlTUD-1 is a potentially interesting catalyst for the catalytic
cracking of plastic waste into liquid fuels
