Abstract
Solar-powered photoreforming of plastics provides a facile and low-energy pathway for generating green hydrogen while converting plastic wastes into valuable organic compounds. Herein, a Z-scheme photocatalyst, containing Cd0.5Zn0.5S for hydrogen production, red phosphorus (RP) for oxidizing plastics, and CoxPy as the electron mediator, was constructed. The photoreforming of polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was carried out under alkaline aqueous conditions. The photogenerated electrons from the RP recombined with the holes from Cd0.5Zn0.5S. The retained electrons in Cd0.5Zn0.5S reduced water to hydrogen, whereas the holes in the RP oxidized plastic-derived polymers into valuable organic products, such as pyruvate, acetate, and methanol. The hydrogen evolution rates from the photoreforming of PLA and PET using the optimal photocatalyst at 35 °C reached 503.9 and 74.4 μmol h−1, corresponding to the apparent quantum efficiencies of 5.84 % and 0.89 % at 420 nm.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
