Efficient and Stable MoCo-Ni(OH)₂/NF electrocatalyst for the Upcycling of Waste PET via Ethylene Glycol Oxidation

The escalating production and consumption of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics pose a significant environmental challenge due to widespread landfill disposal and resource depletion. Electrochemical upcycling of PET, particularly through the electrocatalytic oxidation of ethylene glycol (EG) to formate, offers a promising sustainable solution. However, the complex nature of the EGOR reaction necessitates the development of highly efficient and selective electrocatalysts. This work reports the design and synthesis of a novel MoCo co-doped Ni(OH)₂ nanosheet catalyst supported on nickel foam (NF), denoted as MoCo–Ni(OH)₂/NF, for enhanced EGOR. The controlled growth process yields a distinctive flower-like morphology of MoCo–Ni(OH)₂ nanosheets uniformly distributed on the NF substrate. The resulting MoCo–Ni(OH)₂/NF catalyst exhibits remarkable EGOR performance, achieving a high Faradaic efficiency of 72.28 % for formate production at 1.37 V (vs. RHE) and an impressive formate yield rate of 600 μmol h⁻¹ cm⁻². Furthermore, the catalyst demonstrates exceptional stability, retaining its morphology and surface chemistry after extended testing. This work highlights the potential of MoCo–Ni(OH)₂/NF as a high-performance electrocatalyst for the sustainable upcycling of waste PET.