Calcium ferrite/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite for PET upcycling into formic acid and green hydrogen

Title : Calcium ferrite/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite for PET upcycling into formic acid and green hydrogen

Abstract:

The rising environmental impact of fossil fuels and the global accumulation of plastic waste necessitate the development of sustainable, electricity-driven upcycling technologies. Electrochemical reforming offers a dual-solution pathway by transforming plastic polymers into high-value chemical feedstocks, such as formic acid, alongside the production of green hydrogen. In this work, Calcium ferrite (CFO) nanoparticles were synthesized via an aqueous sol-gel process and evaluated as electrocatalysts for polymer degradation. Structural and phase purity were confirmed through X-ray diffraction (XRD), identifying a rhombohedral distorted perovskite structure with crystallite sizes of 15–39 nm, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed a high-surface-area morphology optimised for catalyst-substrate interaction. UV-Vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) further validated a narrow band gap of 1.64–2.25 eV, ensuring robust electronic properties. To mitigate the low intrinsic electrical conductivity of pristine CFO, reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was integrated as a conductive support. The resulting CFO/RGO composite leverages the high electron mobility and long π-conjugation of RGO to facilitate rapid interfacial charge transfer. Electrochemical characterization demonstrates that the CFO/RGO architecture significantly outperforms pristine CFO, delivering substantially higher current densities and enabling the selective oxidative cleavage of polymer chains. By achieving high product yields of formic acid under ambient conditions, these CFO/RGO heterostructures represent a significant advancement in the design of robust electrocatalysts for a circular chemical economy.

Keywords: Calcium Ferrite, Reduced Graphene Oxide, Plastic Waste, Electrochemical Upcycling.

Biography:

Tehzeeb is a PhD student at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia. She earned her master’s degree from the University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Her research focuses on materials chemistry, electrocatalysis, and sustainable chemical technologies, with particular emphasis on the synthesis and characterization of functional nanomaterials. She is currently investigating metal ferrite electrocatalysts for the electrochemical valorization of plastic waste into value-added chemicals. Her broader research interests include plastic-waste upcycling, green chemistry, renewable energy, nanomaterials, and developing efficient catalytic processes that support circular-economy and environmental-sustainability goals through innovative research.