Efficient photoreforming of plastic waste using a high-entropy oxide catalyst

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that high-entropy oxide catalysts effectively degrade plastic waste and produce hydrogen under light, outperforming traditional photocatalysts and offering a promising approach for sustainable waste management and fuel generation.

Contribution

Introduction of high-entropy oxide catalysts for efficient photoreforming of plastics, showing enhanced activity over traditional photocatalysts like P25 TiO2.

Findings

High-entropy oxides outperform P25 TiO2 in plastic degradation.

Photoreforming produces H2, terephthalate, ethylene glycol, and formic acid.

High activity linked to diverse cations, lattice defects, and charge carrier lifetime.

Abstract

Simultaneous catalytic hydrogen (H2) production and plastic waste degradation under light, known as photoreforming, is a novel approach to green fuel production and efficient waste management. Here, we use a high-entropy oxide (HEO), a new family of catalysts with five or more principal cations in their structure, for plastic degradation and simultaneous H2 production. The HEO shows higher activity than that of P25 TiO2, a benchmark photocatalyst, for the degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics in water. Several valuable products are produced by photoreforming of PET bottles and microplastics including H2, terephthalate, ethylene glycol and formic acid. The high activity is attributed to the diverse existence of several cations in the HEO lattice, lattice defects, and appropriate charge carrier lifetime. These findings suggest that HEOs possess high potential as new catalysts for concurrent plastic waste conversion and clean H2 production.