Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a solar-powered reactor that converts plastic waste into hydrogen and other valuable chemicals using sunlight. Unlike conventional solar panels, the device drives a chemical reaction instead of generating electricity.
The reactor consists of a one-square-meter glass panel coated with light-absorbing and catalytic layers that can be applied using a simple spray-coating process. In outdoor tests, it successfully produced hydrogen from pre-treated plastic waste under natural sunlight.
The scalable technology can process various materials, including PET plastic and cellulose, without requiring high temperatures, harsh chemicals, or complex manufacturing. While the process has been patented, further improvements in efficiency and durability are needed before commercial deployment.
