Carefully controlled atoms make renewables more viable for plastics and fuels production

A catalyst developed by a Washington State University research team efficiently converts abundant, renewable ethanol into valuable molecules needed for production of plastics, fuels, and everyday products. The advance could someday make it easier to use renewables rather than petrochemicals to make common products. Led by Regents Professor Yong Wang, the researchers, including from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), report on their work in the journal, Chem Catalysis.