Instant Upcycling of Microplastics into Graphene and Its Environmental Application

Abstract

Microplastic pollution poses a growing threat to ecosystems globally, necessitating sustainable solutions. This study explores upcycling microplastics into graphene as a promising approach Traditional methods like pyrolysis and catalytic carbonization are slow and compromise graphene quality. Flash Joule heating is fast but energy-intensive and hard to control. In contrast, atmospheric pressure microwave plasma (APMP) synthesis, the proposed technique, offers a one-step, environmentally friendly alternative. APMP operates at relatively lower temperatures, reducing energy consumption and providing precise control over process parameters. This study demonstrates that polyethylene microplastics from waste dropper bottles can be efficiently transformed into graphene using APMP synthesis. Raman spectroscopy of synthesized material reveals a spectrum characteristic of graphene-based materials, with indications of defects and the presence of oxygen content. X-ray diffraction illustrates the characteristic graphitic lattice, with a slightly larger interlayer spacing attributed to intercalated functional groups. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms sp² hybridized carbon as the major component. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy provides insights into the multilayered structure and variations in interlayer spacing. The as-synthesized pristine graphene exhibits nearly ten times greater efficiency in adsorbing perfluorooctanoic acid compared to the oxidized form of graphene, although it is slightly less effective than graphene-based nanocomposites.