By Abbas Nazil
Julian Brown, a 21-year-old inventor from Atlanta, has developed a groundbreaking fuel called Plastoline, made entirely from plastic waste, and successfully used it to power a 2023 Dodge Scat Pack muscle car.
His innovation, which transforms plastic trash into usable fuel, aims to provide an affordable and renewable energy source while tackling one of the world’s most pressing pollution problems.
Brown achieved this by using microwave pyrolysis, a chemical process that heats plastic without oxygen until it breaks down into liquid hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons are then refined into usable fuels like gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel.
While scientists recognize pyrolysis as a viable method, they note it typically requires high energy and emits some pollutants. Brown’s claim of running the process using solar-powered microwaves drew attention for its potential to make the technique both cleaner and cheaper.
“If his process can be verified and replicated safely, it could reduce both plastic waste and fossil fuel dependency,” an energy researcher told Forbes.
Brown shared a video on X showing his car roaring to life with Plastoline, demonstrating the practicality of his innovation.
He said his mission was to turn pollution into power, explaining that his journey began as a teenager determined to fight plastic pollution using science.
Starting with scrap metal and a broken microwave, Brown spent years refining his process, testing hundreds of samples before achieving success.
Though experts say it remains uncertain whether Plastoline can be scaled for commercial use, Brown’s invention stands as an inspiring example of how creativity and persistence can transform waste into innovation.
