E-PLUS · Single-Atom Catalysts for Electrocatalytic Plastic Waste Upcycling and Green Hydrogen Co-Production

Plastic waste and global warming are among today’s pressing global challenges. Almost 380 million tons of plastic are produced annually, yet only about 9% of them are recycled, with most ending in landfills or incineration, harming ecosystems, releasing substantial CO2, and wasting valuable resources. Meanwhile, green H2 is essential for achieving carbon neutrality, but its cost remains high, partly due to the sluggish anodic reaction. Addressing these issues together offers a unique opportunity for both circular economy and energy decarbonization. The E-PLUS project aims to establish a sustainable electrochemical strategy that simultaneously upcycles PET plastic into high-value glycolic acid (GA) and co-produces green hydrogen. Current approaches mainly rely on noble-metal catalysts with low atomic efficiency, limited stability, and poor selectivity at high current densities. E-PLUS will overcome these barriers through an interdisciplinary approach, including: 1) developing single-atom catalysts with nearly 100% utilization, supported on engineered transition-metal interfaces, and guided by theoretical predictions; 2) applying advanced electrochemical strategies to enhance durability and coupling PET-to-GA conversion in water electrolysis; 3) conducting in situ mechanistic studies to uncover structure–activity relationships to guide catalyst design and improve selectivity. Collectively, these innovations will enable PET-to-GA conversion with >98% selectivity sustained for over 1000 h under high current densities, which are further expected to increase the PET recycling rate by 1%, lower CO2 emissions by 2%, and reduce the energy cost of H2 production by >15%. Its successful implementation will also strengthen the applicant’s career prospects through advanced expertise, transferable skills, interdisciplinary training, and international collaboration, while contributing to the EU policies objectives like Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal.