【Frontiers in HaiChuan Chemical Technology】Photocatalytic technology transforms polyester plastics and sulfur dioxide into valuable resources, marking new progress in the value-added utilization of waste plastics in China

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Photocatalytic technology turns polyester plastics and sulfur dioxide into valuable resources. According to a report from Sinochem News on April 26, the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has made new advances in the value-added utilization of waste plastics. Thanks to the photocatalytic technology it has developed, waste polyester (PET) plastics and sulfur dioxide from industrial exhaust gases can be transformed into organosulfur compounds that can be widely used. 　　This significant achievement in the field of photocatalysis provides new strategies for the synthesis of organic sulfur compounds, opens up new avenues for the high-value conversion of waste plastics, and expands the range of products obtained from the upgraded recycling of polyesters. A related paper was recently published in the international peer-reviewed journal „German Applied Chemistry“. 　　The research team explained that photocatalytic technology features green and mild reaction conditions. Previously, they had successfully used waste plastic and ammonia as carbon sources and nitrogen sources, respectively, to produce amino acids and formamidomethane through photocatalytic C-N coupling reactions. On this basis, they further developed a copper single-atom/titanium dioxide single-atom photocatalyst to effectively enhance catalytic activity. Under light conditions, polyester-derived ethylene glycol is efficiently converted into hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) and hydrogen. 　　It is understood that HMS is a typical organic sulfur compound, widely used in fields such as electroplating, pharmaceutical synthesis, food additives, agricultural chemicals, and rubber materials. Currently, the nucleophilic addition reaction of formaldehyde with sulfites is primarily used in industry to produce HMS. However, formaldehyde derives from fossil fuels, is highly toxic, and tends to polymerize into polyformaldehyde, which can cause pipe blockages and production disruptions. Therefore, developing new green, efficient, and sustainable synthesis routes for HMS is of great research significance and practical value.