Highly selective photoreforming of plastic waste into pyruvate and coupled with hydrogen production from seawater on the defect-rich 2D/2D Cd0.5Zn0.5S/NiPS3

The integration of photocatalytic processes to simultaneously convert plastic waste into valuable chemicals and generate green hydrogen represents a significant advancement in the field of renewable energy and environmental remediation. The study demonstrated the potential of solar-powered photocatalytic processes to convert plastic waste, specifically polylactic acid (PLA), into value-added chemicals like pyruvate while simultaneously producing green hydrogen. The use of a CZS/NiPS 3 heterojunction as a catalyst was pivotal, as it created an efficient interface for electron transfer, enhancing the overall photocatalytic activity. The CZS/NiPS 3 -20 % catalyst exhibited remarkable performance, producing 777.4 mmol/g of hydrogen over 10 h in a pretreated PLA solution. In a real PLA plastic system, the catalyst generated 506.41 mmol/g of hydrogen over the same period, showcasing its practical applicability. The catalyst facilitated the selective photoreforming of PLA into pyruvate, a high-value chemical, as confirmed by GC-MS analysis. This dual functionality-hydrogen production and chemical conversion-maximizes the utilization of photogenerated electrons and holes, improving the overall efficiency of the process. This research offers a strategy to address plastic pollution and boost the hydrogen economy by converting waste into valuable products and using seawater for clean energy.