Summary
Recently, the environmental impacts of microplastics have received extensive attention owing to their accumulation in the environment. However, developing efficient technology for the control and purification of microplastics is still a big challenge. Herein, we investigated the photocatalytic degradation of typical microplastics such as polystyrene (PS) microspheres and polyethylene (PE) over TiO
2
nanoparticle films under UV light irradiation. TiO
2
nanoparticle film made with Triton X-100 showed complete mineralization (98.40%) of 400-nm PS in 12 h, while degradation for varying sizes of PS was also studied. PE degradation experiment presented a high photodegradation rate after 36 h. CO
2
was found as the main end product. The degradation mechanism and intermediates were studied by
in situ
DRIFTS and HPPI-TOFMS, showing the generation of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carbon-hydrogen groups during the photodegradation of PS. This study provides a green and cost-efficient strategy for the control of microplastics contamination in the environment.
Exclusive C2 selectivity of Cu-Nplates over C1 during electrocatalytic CO2 reduction offers opportunities for large scale, long-term renewable energy storage and lessens carbon emissions.
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