Industrial-grade electrocatalytic valorization of waste plastics via reconstructed Ni 2+ -CoOOH nanosheet arrays

作者：Junhua Wu, Jinfeng Zheng, Zhangjing Yu, Cong Lin, Kun Chen, Nan Zhang, Pengzuo Chen · 发表于：Nano Research · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.26599/nr.2025.94907806 · 被引用次数：52 · 研究领域：Recycling and Waste Management Techniques、Electrochemical Analysis and Applications、Conducting polymers and applications

Electrocatalytic upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste plastics into value-added chemicals offers a promising strategy to address environmental pollution. However, the development of efficient electrocatalysts capable of operating under industrial-level current densities remains a significant challenge. In this study, we report an electrochemical reconstruction strategy to fabricate Ni 2 + -doped CoOOH nanosheet arrays directly on nickel foam (NF), enabling highly efficient conversion of PET-derived ethylene glycol (EG) into formate at high current densities. Systematic investigations, including in situ spectroscopic analysis, reveal that Ni 2 + doping not only enhances the adsorption of EG molecules on the catalyst surface but also accelerates the formation of reactive *OH intermediates, thereby improving the reaction kinetics of C–C bond cleavage, ultimately promoting efficient formate production. Specifically, the optimized Ni 2+ -CoOOH 3 /NF catalyst achieves an industrial-level current density of 500 mA·cm - 2 at an ultralow potential of 1.38 V vs. RHE, with a Faradaic efficiency exceeding 90% across a broad current density range of 100–500 mA·cm −2 . Furthermore, in a practical two-electrode electrolyzer, the Ni 2+ -CoOOH 3 /NF delivers a high formate yield of 7.10 mmol·h −1 ·cm −2 at 900 mA·cm −2 , along with excellent long-term operational stability.