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Progress achieved in research on the photocatalytic conversion of polyamide plastics 2025-04-09 The team led by Professor Zhang Jinlong from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering at East China University of Science and Technology has developed an aqueous-phase photocatalytic method based on transition metal peroxides. This method not only provides an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for the chemical recycling of polyamide plastics, but also offers new ideas for the effective conversion of other types of plastic waste. Recently, the relevant research findings were published in German Applied Chemistry. Polyamide (PA) plastics, commonly known as nylon, are widely used in industries such as textiles, automotive, and electronics. Traditional plastic recycling methods often come with high energy consumption, high costs, and the problem of secondary pollution. Therefore, developing a technology that can convert polyamide plastics into high-value chemicals under mild conditions holds significant scientific importance and practical prospects. The research team has been deeply involved in the field of photocatalysis, developing an aqueous-phase photocatalytic method based on transition metal peroxides. By introducing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to regulate the structure of the catalyst, they induced the formation of asymmetric Mo-O units, thereby creating H2MoO5 catalysts with a quasi-two-dimensional flaky crystal structure. This catalyst reacts further with hydrogen peroxide to form a highly efficient \"pseudo-liquid phase\" catalytic system. Under visible light irradiation, this catalytic system is capable of producing low-carbon alcohol compounds. At the same time, the Lewis acidity exhibited by the catalyst accelerated the formation of soluble polyamide oligomeric monomers. Experimental results show that, under certain conditions, this catalytic system can exhibit excellent catalytic performance. Furthermore, this catalyst also exhibits good reusability, maintaining high catalytic activity even after multiple reactions.