Braskem Teams with UIC to Convert CO₂ into Sustainable Ethylene for Polyethylene Production

Braskem has partnered with researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) to pioneer a new, carbon‑neutral route for producing ethylene used in polyethylene (PE) manufacturing. The collaboration harnesses advanced capture‑and‑utilization technology that extracts CO₂ from existing industrial flue gases, turning a greenhouse‑gas by‑product into a valuable feedstock for plastic production.

Still in its early development phase, the project will benefit from Braskem’s commercial expertise in feedstock and polymer scale‑up. Luiz Alberto Falcon, head of Braskem’s Innovation and Technology Recycling Platform, explains that the company will validate the university’s theoretical and experimental findings and help transition the technology from laboratory to industrial scale.

"Reducing carbon emissions is a core principle in our fight against climate change and a cornerstone of our sustainability strategy," Falcon said. "The partnership with UIC is designed to evaluate a pathway for capturing and converting CO₂ emitted by our operations, turning it into feedstock for our polymer processes."

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global chemical industry emits roughly 1.5 billion tons of CO₂ annually through energy use and manufacturing processes. If all of this CO₂ were captured and converted, it could yield more than 300 million tons of chemicals or thermoplastic resins—products already produced by Braskem. Coupling this conversion with renewable energy further lowers the carbon footprint and enhances the technology’s economic and sustainability appeal.

Professor Meenesh Singh of UIC’s College of Engineering explains that the goal is a fully integrated, energy‑efficient system that continuously captures CO₂ from flue gas and transforms it into ethylene for polyethylene production. "Industrial boilers rely on fossil fuels to generate steam, and sustainable operation demands continuous CO₂ capture and recycling into chemicals like ethylene," Singh noted. "Our expertise in electrochemical CO₂ reduction, combined with patent‑pending capture tech, will enable the required performance for a circular economy.”

Braskem’s commitment to sustainable innovation is reflected in its workforce and intellectual property: over 300 sustainability specialists, 216 projects in the Innovation & Technology pipeline, and 903 patents filed in Brazil and abroad. In November 2020, the company announced a roadmap to carbon neutrality by 2050, featuring carbon‑reduction initiatives, offsetting, expansion of its “I’m green” product line, and the diversion of 1.5 million tons of plastic waste from incineration, landfills, or the environment over the next decade.