The WPlast2H2 project, leveraging a multidisciplinary team of material scientists, organic chemists, and industrial engineers, aims to revolutionize green hydrogen production by developing cost-effective and accessible catalysts upcycled from plastic and metal wastes. Addressing regional waste sources and utilization barriers, the project integrates a systematic, decision support framework to conduct a comprehensive investigation into waste management. This includes the development of synthetic methods for carbon-based and metal-organic-based nanomaterials, alongside the modification and evaluation of catalysts for (photo)(electro)catalytic applications, such as water splitting, enabling green hydrogen generation.
Aligned with the national priorities of Thailand, Turkey, the Czech Republic, and Austria in areas such as plastic waste management, energy sustainability, and the circular economy, the project encompasses a robust management plan to analyze and overcome regional barriers to upcycling. Using a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach, critical challenges in waste polymer selection will be identified, with solutions developed to address these issues.
Central to the project is the transformation of plastic and metal waste into catalysts for water splitting through innovative methods. These include the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and porous carbon materials at lower temperatures with subsequent activation. Plastic waste, such as PET, PP, and PE, will serve as a source of high-surface-area carbon materials or as an organic ligand source, enabling efficient hydrogen production from water using discarded resources.
The project’s novel approach, emphasizing waste-derived catalysts for water splitting with natural water sources and commercial electrolyzer compatibility, marks a significant advancement in the field. With proof of concept validated at laboratory conditions (TRL3), the consortium targets further development for TRL5-6 implementation.
Bringing expertise in electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, and waste upcycling, the consortium aims to address challenges in waste-to-hydrogen conversion while advancing scientific knowledge and training future researchers in green energy and plastic upcycling, ultimately contributing to a sustainable and circular economy.
