Synergistic electronic effect in high-entropy PdPtSnBiAg metallene for electrochemical reforming of PET plastics into glycolic acid

Abstract

The electrocatalytic transformation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic to valuable products represents highly promising strategy for the re-utilization of waste resources, and its efficiency is highly related to the identification of active and selective electrocatalysts. Herein, high-entropy PdPtSnBiAg metallene (HEA-PdPtSnBiAgene) is designed via a solvothermal method as an efficient electrocatalyst for PET-derived ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR). In PET hydrolysate, the HEA-PdPtSnBiAgene exhibits high Faraday efficiency of 91.8% at 0.91 V, as well as excellent cycle stability.Both experimental investigations and theoretical analyses support that the synergistic electronic effect of HEA-PdPtSnBiAgene provides multi-level active sites, which can reduce EGOR energy barrier and strengthen the C-C and O-H bond energy of EG, thus promoting the EG-to-GA conversion. This research contributes to advanced insights to develop unique high-entropy metallene for electrochemical upcycling of PET plastic.