Recycling and valorization of LDPE: direct transformation into highly ordered doped-carbon materials and their application as electro-catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction
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Castelo Quibén, Jesica; Bailón García, Esther; Moral Rodríguez, A. I.; Carrasco Marín, Francisco; Pérez Cadenas, Agustín FranciscoEditorial
Royal Society of Chemistry
Date
2021-12-16Referencia bibliográfica
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2022, Advance Article. DOI: [10.1039/d1cy02082j]
Sponsorship
Junta de Andalucia P12-RNM-2892 RNM172 P18-RTJ-2974Abstract
The energy demand and the environmental situation make the development of advanced catalysts for
energy applications necessary. Considering the large volumes of plastic waste, the transformation of
organic polymers into advanced carbon functional materials that are able to accomplish the oxygen
reduction reaction via the desired 4-electron pathway is proposed as an integrated environmental
remediation, in which plastic pollutants are converted into catalysts for fuel cells. Carbon-based electrocatalysts
were obtained by pyrolyzing low-density polyethylene at low temperature by an easy one-step
method that involves the generation of autogenous pressure which is the responsible for the spherical
shape as well as the high degree of graphitization. The addition of transition metals (Fe, Co or Ni) modifies
the carbonization process and CNFs emerge. The metal-free material leads to a purely 2e− pathway;
however, the presence of metals improves all electrochemical parameters and the desired 4e−pathway is
achieved. The graphitization degree, the metal dispersion and the presence of CNFs are the key factors for
the ORR performance.