Aqua‐Oxidation of Polyethylene Into Carboxylic Acids Under Mild Conditions: A Catalyst‐Free Upcycling Strategy for Nonpolar Plastics

ABSTRACT Noncatalytic polyolefin upcycling offers distinct advantages in eliminating catalyst costs and enhancing operational stability, yet it remains highly challenging under mild conditions. Herein, we develop an aqua‐oxidation strategy that converts polyethylene into carboxylic acids at 160°C without using any catalysts or organic solvents. The mass yield of carboxylic acid is up to 97.8 wt%, of which 72.1% is comprised by C 4 –C 10 dicarboxylic acids. The roles of H 2 O and O 2 play in aqua‐oxidation were further investigated in an in situ liquid‐phase spectroscopic reactor filled with isotope‐labeled D 2 O. It reveals that O 2 governs the effective initiation and oxidation of polyethylene. Whereas H 2 O serves as a key medium to intensify oxygen–polyethylene interaction uniformly and inhibit localized oxidation, promoting selective upcycling to narrow‐distributed acids. Moreover, this strategy allows for upcycling diverse commercial polyolefins with additives. This study presents a breakthrough in the noncatalytic upcycling of polyolefins under mild conditions and demonstrates the potential of this eco‐friendly and streamlined strategy for advancing plastic circularity.