An efficient and recyclable Ni2P–Co2P/ZrO2/C nanofiber photocatalyst for the conversion of plastic waste into H2 and valuable chemicals

Abstract

The ubiquity of plastic waste has resulted in significant deleterious impacts on the environment and human health. Solar-driven photoreforming technology presents a facile and energy-efficient method for converting plastic waste into H₂ and valuable chemical compounds. In this study, we fabricated Ni₂P–Co₂P/ZrO₂/C nanofibers (NFs) through a combination of electrospinning, carbonization, hydrothermal, and phosphorylation techniques. The Ni₂P–Co₂P/ZrO₂/C composite NFs exhibit a coherent and homogeneous fibrous morphology, wherein Ni₂P–Co₂P nanowires are uniformly distributed and coated onto the surface of ZrO₂/C NFs. These nanofiber films demonstrate pronounced light absorption characteristics, showcasing their proficiency in efficiently capturing incident light. In an aqueous medium, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can be effectively transformed into clean energy H₂, and valuable organic products using Ni₂P–Co₂P/ZrO₂/C NFs as photocatalysts. Notably, the 24 hour rate of hydrogen production reached a significant value of 207.56 μmol H₂g sub⁻¹. The presented photocatalyst exhibits robust photocatalytic performance for at least four days under severe alkaline conditions. Furthermore, the catalyst is easy to isolate and recover from an aqueous solution after catalysis. In the context of photoconversion applied to authentic PET samples, which include polyester fibers and PET cups, the hydrogen production performance demonstrated by the catalyst is comparable to that achieved with pure PET particles. This congruence substantiates the practical viability of the system, affirming its applicability in real-world scenarios.