Multisite synergism-induced electron regulation of high-entropy alloy nanowires for electrocatalytic reforming of polylactic acid plastic hydrolysate

Abstract

Transforming waste PLA into chemical feedstocks for high-value products offers sustainable advantages-reducing emissions while advancing circular production. Electrochemically converting PLA into valuable chemicals is a key solution for reducing plastic pollution. In this work, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) AuCuAgPtNi nanowires with rich lattice distortions and defects were prepared using a straightforward one-step wet chemical process for the highly selective conversion of PLA hydrolysate lactic acid to acetic acid. The synthesized HEA-AuCuAgPtNi nanowires exhibited excellent lactic acid oxidation reaction (LAOR) performance, achieving 115 mmol h -1 μg -1 yield, 96.41% selectivity and 90.72% faradaic efficiency at 1.50 V vs. RHE.Introducing a flow cell to couple the LAOR with the hydrogen evolution reaction has great potential in the generation of clean energy. Density functional theory calculations highlight the synergistic effect of the five elements in optimizing the electronic structure and enhancing the LAOR activity of the catalysts. This work proposes an efficient electro-upcycling strategy for plastics, offering a green solution for the treatment of waste PLA.