Platinum makes PVC production greener and cheaper
A new single-atom catalyst could replace toxic mercury in the manufacture of vinyl chloride
A single-atom platinum catalyst could replace the highly toxic mercury one used to synthesise the ingredient to produce PVC. The new platinum catalyst is twice as efficient as the one used by industry, could cut mercury pollution and should be suitable for scaling-up.1
Vinyl chloride production is one of the most common industrial processes in the world, with global production estimated at over 50 million tons per year. Up to a third is synthesised using acetylene hydrochlorination that relies on a highly toxic mercury catalyst.