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Asymmetric Atomic Pt–B Dual-Site Catalyst for Efficient Photoreforming of Waste Polylactic Acid Plastics in Seawater
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Researchers developed a new light-powered catalyst that can break down polylactic acid (PLA) plastic waste in seawater, converting it into useful chemicals and hydrogen fuel. The catalyst uses precisely arranged platinum and boron atoms to efficiently drive the chemical reaction. While focused on cleanup technology rather than health effects, this work offers a promising approach to reducing plastic pollution in the ocean before it breaks down into microplastics.
Waste plastic has imposed significant burdens on marine ecosystems. Converting plastic into high-value products via photocatalysis is an emerging and promising approach, but its low activity and product selectivity pose great challenges. Herein, we report a carbon nitride-anchored atomically dispersed Pt-B dual-site catalyst (Pt SA/BCN100) for the photoreforming of polylactic acid (PLA) into high-value chemicals and H2 in seawater. Experiments and DFT calculations reveal that significantly enhanced charge transfer occurs between the Pt site and the B site, and the hole-rich B site can selectively trigger the activation and cleavage of the C-H and C-C bonds of PLA to form acetic acid (AA), while the electron-rich Pt site drives the reduction of H protons to H2. As a result, Pt SA/BCN100 exhibits a high H2 evolution rate of 993 μmol gcatal-1 h-1 and an AA production rate of 300 μmol gcatal-1 h-1 with a selectivity of over 98%. We also demonstrate the direct photoreforming of g-scale real-world PLA wastes and low concentrations of PLA microplastics in natural seawater. Techno-economic analysis and environmental assessment show that this catalytic system can significantly reduce carbon emissions and has potential commercial value.
More Papers Like This
AsymmetricAtomic Pt–B Dual-Site Catalyst forEfficient Photoreforming of Waste Polylactic Acid Plastics in Seawater
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a carbon nitride-anchored atomically dispersed platinum-boron dual-site catalyst (Pt SA/BCN100) for photoreforming of polylactic acid plastic waste in seawater, finding through experiments and DFT calculations that the hole-rich boron site selectively cleaved C-H and C-C bonds to produce acetic acid while the electron-rich platinum site reduced protons to generate hydrogen.
Isolated Ni atoms enable alkali-free photoreforming of waste polylactic acid plastic
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Researchers designed a nickel-based catalyst that can break down polylactic acid (PLA) plastic waste using sunlight, converting it into hydrogen fuel and pyruvic acid without needing harsh chemicals. Although PLA is marketed as biodegradable, this solar-powered recycling approach offers a cleaner and more valuable end-of-life option to prevent PLA from degrading into microplastics in the environment.
Photoreforming of PET and PLA microplastics for sustainable hydrogen production using TiO2 and g-C3N4 photocatalysts
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Researchers used photoreforming—a light-driven process—to break down PET and PLA microplastics while simultaneously generating hydrogen gas, demonstrating a dual-benefit approach that addresses plastic pollution while producing clean energy from waste plastic.
Comprehensive Insights into Photoreforming of Waste Plastics for Hydrogen Production
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This review examines photocatalytic "photoreforming" — a solar-powered process that breaks down waste plastics while simultaneously generating hydrogen fuel and useful chemical byproducts. Recent advances in catalyst design, including semiconductor materials and metal-organic frameworks, are analyzed alongside factors like light intensity and pH that affect hydrogen output. This dual-purpose approach could help address both the global plastic waste crisis and the need for clean energy simultaneously.
Synergistic Dual Catalytic System and Kinetics for the Alcoholysis of Poly(Lactic Acid)
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Researchers developed an improved chemical recycling process using a dual catalyst system to break down polylactic acid (PLA), a common bioplastic, back into reusable building blocks. The approach could improve the circularity of bioplastics and reduce plastic waste from packaging and disposable products.
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