Electrocatalytic Valorization of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Plasticand CO2 for Simultaneous Production of Formic Acid

The electro-reforming of polymer plastic waste and CO2has the meritsfor producing value-added chemicals and alleviating environmental pollution. Herein,we report an electrocatalytic integrating strategy for efficient valorization ofpoly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) plastic and CO2to simultaneously produce formicacid at both anode and cathode. The NiCo2O4electrocatalyst displays a high Faradaicefficiency of 90% for formic acid production, which indicates the excellent selectivity forPET hydrolysate oxidation. By coupling the PET hydrolysate oxidation reaction withthe CO2reduction reaction, the assembled electrolyzer exhibits a low cell voltage of 1.55V to drive the integrated two half-reactions. Furthermore, a high Faradaic efficiency of155% for formic acid can be achieved at a cell voltage of 1.90 V. This study suggests thatelectrocatalytic valorization of PET plastic coupling with CO2reduction could be an energy-efficient and economically viablestrategy to realize the production of value-added chemicals

Automated summary

Electrocatalytic valorization of PET plastic coupled with CO2 reduction offers an efficient strategy for producing value-added chemicals, with high selectivity and Faradaic efficiency for formic acid production.