Decomposition of used poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles was accomplished by methanolytic degradation using bamboo leaf ash (BLA) as a green and highly efficient heterogeneous catalytic system. The reaction at 200 °C in an autoclave reactor gave dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and ethylene glycol (EG) in 78% and 76% yields, respectively. The chemical and physical characteristics of the prepared catalyst were studied using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractograms (XRD), Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. The conversion of PET to DMT and EG was completed within 2 h, and the crude as well as the recrystallized products were characterized using HPLC, NMR and IR. The catalyst, owing to its excellent thermal stability, mesoporous nature, bio-compatibility, cost free, easy preparation, recyclability and efficacy make it an attractive alternative and greener solid catalyst for PET depolymerization.

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