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Efficiency of Hybrid Materials for Photocatalytic Degradation of Micro‐ and Nano‐Plastics
Summary
Researchers reviewed how hybrid materials — combinations of multiple substances engineered at the nanoscale — can serve as highly effective photocatalysts to break down microplastics and nanoplastics using light energy. These multi-functional materials improve electron separation and reaction efficiency compared to single-component catalysts, representing a promising technological pathway for removing persistent plastic particles from the environment.
Efficiency of Hybrid Materials forPhotocatalytic Degradation of Micro-and Nano-PlasticsThe prevalence of micro-plastics (MPs) and nano-plastics has led to serious concerns about their harmful effects, which include health risks, ecological disruption and the potential for contamination to spread in the environment.The fragmentation of plastics (primary and secondary) produces micro-and nano-plastics (MNPs).MNPs stay for a very long time in the environment, and once they are released, their degradation time is prolonged.Therefore, it is imperative to mitigate and remove these plastics in order to protect the environment and human health.Consequently, the growing issue of MNP contamination calls for creative methods to ensure their effective removal and restoration.Nanotechnology is one of the many upcoming advancements that hybrid materials are now having a significant influence on.Today, multifunctional hybrid materials with precise control over structure and morphology are possible thanks to the enormous amount of basic research completed over the last 20 years.The industrial market has already seen the introduction of some of these hybrid materials.These specific surface alterations have the potential to greatly improve the photogenerated electron-hole pairs separation, expand the reactive surface area and the production of more active sites for the reaction and subsequent breakdown of MNPs.Numerous intriguing characteristics, including miniaturization, hierarchical organization, resistance, recognition, self-repairing qualities and adaptability, will be combined in this new generation of hybrid materials.This chapter explores the emerging hybrid smart materials as photocatalysts working for the degradation of MNPs, and the production of advanced photocatalytic materials capable of effectively addressing the critical issue of plastic pollution in both macro-and nano-forms.
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