Eco-Friendly Solar-Powered H2 Generation from Plastic Waste Using Earth-Abundant Cu-Doped ZnS Catalysts

The photoreforming of plastics into fuel and small organic molecules at ambient temperature presents a sustainable alternative to landfills and incineration. However, most existing photocatalysts depend on noble or toxic metals, limiting their environmental compatibility. Here, we present a non-toxic, eco-friendly Cu-doped ZnS photocatalyst synthesized via a simple one-pot wet chemical method for efficient plastic waste conversion in an alkaline solution. This earth-abundant catalyst exhibits broad visible light absorption and exceptional charge transfer efficiency, enabling high photocatalytic activity. By optimizing Cu doping levels, we achieve a promising H2 generation rate of 201.5 μmol g−1 h−1. We elucidate the photoreforming mechanism, paving the way for scalable and sustainable plastic upcycling.