{
  "abstract": "Polyethylene, the largest component of plastic waste, decomposes on heating almost entirely to volatiles rather than to carbon. Here, one post-consumer low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film and one high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottle were converted into disordered carbons by sulfonation-assisted carbonization. Sulfonation raised the carbon residue at 900 °C from 1.21 to 32.63 wt.% for LDPE and from 0.06 to 8.82 wt.% for HDPE. The two carbons are indistinguishable by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (interlayer spacing 0.365–0.366 nm, crystallite thickness ≈1.4 nm), have the same Raman disorder ratio (1.01–1.02) and retain little sulfur (≤0.51 at.%), but differ in specific surface area (53.7 and 32.5 m2 g−1). As lithium-ion anodes, the LDPE- and HDPE-derived carbons deliver 338 and 302 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 100 mA g−1, with capacity still rising, and 155 and 130 mA h g−1 at 2 A g−1. The larger first-cycle loss and higher capacity of the LDPE-derived carbon correlate with its larger surface area, consistent with the precursor acting through its response to the sulfonation pretreatment rather than through carbonization. These results are a proof of concept; extension to other and mixed waste streams requires further study.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Institute of Batteries (IoB), Kabanbay Batyr Ave. 53, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Kuanysh Kurtibay",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7822-0263"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yryszhan Tashenova",
      "orcid": "0009-0008-9371-864X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Aisha Zhanaikhan",
      "orcid": "0009-0000-0903-0263"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Kuralay Korzhynbayeva"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Aliya Mukanova",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1171-176X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Arailym Nurpeissova",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9657-2964"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cr3jq2cgv470w.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/nano16201310",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "cr3jq2cgv470w",
  "issns": [
    "2079-4991"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/16/20/1310",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2208|Advancements in Battery Materials"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222584527",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-16",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cr3jq2cgv470w.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:45Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/nano16201310",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/16/20/1310"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "issn:2079-4991",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    }
  ],
  "title": "From Plastic Waste to Power Source: Polyethylene-Derived Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries",
  "title_text": "From Plastic Waste to Power Source: Polyethylene-Derived Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:45Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cr3jq2cgv470w",
  "venue": "Nanomaterials",
  "versions": []
}