# Recycling Waste Plastics from Urban Landscapes to Porous Carbon for Clean Energy Storage

## TL;DR

This paper explores converting waste plastics into carbon nanosheets for hydrogen storage, offering a solution to plastic pollution and clean energy needs.

## Contribution

A novel strategy for reusing waste polypropylene into carbon nanosheets with palladium for efficient hydrogen storage is introduced.

## Key findings

- Pd-supported carbon nanosheets achieved a hydrogen adsorption capacity of 0.43 wt% at 298 K and 41 bar.
- Pd content, particle size, and carbon structure significantly influence hydrogen storage performance.

## Abstract

With the rapid increase in plastic consumption worldwide, the resulting plastic waste has had a significant negative impact on the environment. Converting waste plastics into carbon nanosheets (CNSs) has emerged as one of the most promising methods for both waste management and the synthesis of high-performance carbon materials. The incorporation of palladium (Pd) nanoparticles onto CNSs can notably enhance their hydrogen storage capacity. To address the environmental pressures posed by waste plastic, we propose a strategy for synthesizing CNSs from waste polypropylene (PP). Hydrogen uptake Meas. at room temperature show that Pd-supported CNSs exhibit the highest hydrogen adsorption capacity of 0.43 wt% at 298 K and 41 bar. These findings confirm the critical influence of Pd content, particle size, and carbon structure on hydrogen storage performance under varying pressures. This study provides a new pathway for the valuable reutilization of waste plastics through functional energy conversion. This strategy not only aims to reduce plastic pollution but also creates a sustainable method for green energy storage.