Reviewed by Lexie CornerFeb 7 2025
A research team from the University of Tokyo has developed a method for efficiently recovering materials from a variety of epoxy-based products using a novel solid catalyst. The study was published in Nature Communications.
Recovered carbon fibers close up. This image from a scanning electron microscope shows the quality of carbon fibers recovered from the decomposition process. Image Credit: Jin et al.
Epoxy resins are widely used as coatings and adhesives in manufacturing, engineering, and construction. However, they present challenges in recycling and disposal.
Epoxy compounds are found in many applications due to their insulating properties, strong adhesive qualities, and mechanical durability. They are used in electronic devices, footwear, building materials, wind turbine blades, and aircraft bodies, where they reinforce materials such as carbon and glass fibers.
Despite their advantages, epoxy compounds are plastics that are difficult to process after use or at the end of a product’s lifecycle.
For example, to decompose fiber-reinforced plastics, perhaps used in aircraft parts, you would need high temperatures over 500 ℃, or strong acid or base conditions. These things have an energy cost, and the harsh conditions can damage the fibers and things you might be trying to recover.
Xiongjie Jin, Associate Professor, University of Tokyo
Xiongjie Jin said, “To deal with this problem, a relatively new process called catalytic hydrogenolysis shows promise, but existing catalysts for this are not reusable as they dissolve in the solvent in which the epoxy decomposition takes place. So, we created a new solid catalyst, which is easily recoverable and reusable.”
Jin, Professor Kyoko Nozaki, and their team in the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology developed a durable catalyst capable of breaking down epoxy compounds into carbon fibers, glass fibers, and phenolic compounds—key raw materials for the chemical industry.
The catalyst is a bimetallic system consisting of nickel and palladium supported on cerium oxide. These metals facilitate reactions between epoxy resins and hydrogen gas. The reaction requires a temperature of approximately 180 °C, significantly lower than the 500 °C typically needed, reducing energy consumption and enabling the reuse of recovered materials.
We were pleased to see experimental results that closely matched our expectations about how this process would work, but we were nicely surprised when we realized the catalyst could be reused at least five times without any reduction in its performance. As our catalyst is effective at cleaving carbon-oxygen bonds, with modification, it might even work with other plastics as well, as they contain those bonds, too.
Xiongjie Jin, Associate Professor, University of Tokyo
While the method shows promise, further development is needed to enhance its commercial viability. The team is now focused on refining the technique and optimizing materials for broader application.
Although our catalyst does not require such high temperatures, there is still room for improvement in the environmental impact of the solvent we are currently using. We would also like to bring the cost down by finding a catalyst that does not contain a precious metal such as palladium. It might also be possible to increase the range of materials which could be recovered from various epoxy compounds, reducing the environmental overheads of these incredibly versatile and useful plastics.
Kyoko Nozaki, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, University of Tokyo
Journal Reference:
Huang, Y., et al. (2025) Bimetallic synergy in supported Ni–Pd catalyst for selective hydrogenolysis of C–O bonds in epoxy resins. Nature Communications. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56488-4.