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Isolated Ni atoms enable alkali-free photoreforming of waste polylactic acid plastic
Summary
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.
Although polylactic acid is a promising biodegradable plastic, its slow degradation under natural conditions, microplastic formation, and CO<sub>2</sub> emissions during decomposition undermine its sustainability. Photoreforming offers a promising strategy for polylactic acid conversion; however, current methods suffer from sluggish kinetics and low selectivity. Here, we design a Ni single-atom catalyst anchored on CdS (Ni/CdS) to enable alkali-free photoreforming of real polylactic acid plastic waste under mild conditions. Ni single atom sites facilitate sequential cleavage of α-OH and C<sub>α</sub>-H bonds, enabling efficient H<sub>2</sub> evolution and significantly improving the yield and selectivity of polylactic acid conversion to H<sub>2</sub> and pyruvic acid, achieving an apparent quantum efficiency of 46%. Furthermore, we successfully scaled up the synthesis of Ni/CdS and implemented a square-meter-scale reaction system, demonstrating stable outdoor photoreforming of real polylactic acid plastic waste under sunlight. This work paves a promising pathway for solar-driven upcycling of polylactic acid plastic waste.
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