From plastic waste to clean hydrogen
Illustration shows how a newly developed floating nanocomposite system generates hydrogen gas by using sunlight to break down plastic waste. The sponge-like material floats on water and absorbs sunlight, while converting discarded PET bottles and PLA cups into useful byproducts such as ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, and lactic acid. At the same time, clean hydrogen gas is released into the air. This simple yet effective process demonstrates a sustainable and scalable method for upcycling plastic waste into renewable energy using only natural sunlight and water (Credits: Institute for Basic Science)
June 11, 2025 – A team of scientists from the Institute for Basic Science in Korea has developed a new technology that converts plastic waste (specifically PET in this study) into clean hydrogen fuel using sunlight and water.
The key innovation lies in a photocatalyst embedded in a hydrogel polymer. This sponge-like material floats on water and absorbs sunlight, while breaking down discarded PET bottles and PLA cups into useful byproducts such as ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, and lactic acid. At the same time, clean hydrogen gas is released into the air.
According to the researchers, this breakthrough paves the way for plastic waste to become a valuable energy source, enabling the cost-effective production of hydrogen gas.
