Integrated upcycling of PET waste via ethylene glycol oxidation and CO2 electroreduction: full-cell demonstration with techno-economic and environmental assessments

Sang Yoon Kim  †

doi:10.1039/D6GC01540A

Integrated upcycling of PET waste via ethylene glycol oxidation and CO2 electroreduction: full-cell demonstration with techno-economic and environmental assessments

2026-06-19

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AI

S

Sang Yoon Kim †

H

Hyeonseo Im †

K

Kisan Chhetri

C

Chandan Chandru Gudal

J

Jiyong Kim *

C

Chan‐Hwa Chung *

DOI：10.1039/D6GC01540A

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The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) offers a sustainable strategy for converting CO2 into valuable products while utilizing renewable energy sources. However; the oxygen evolution reaction (OER); which is commonly coupled with the CO2RR; is a sluggish reaction that requires a high overpotential. To overcome this; we used the ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) as an alternative anodic oxidation reaction; using ethylene glycol (EG) derived from waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). This strategy lowers the overall cell voltage and enables simultaneous carbon utilization and plastic waste valorization. The EGOR∥CO2RR system was operated with a Ni0.33Co0.67(OH)2/NF anode and an Ag-BTC/CP cathode. The as-prepared anode required less energy (135 mV) for the EGOR at 100 mA cm−2 than for the OER. In the full cell; the EGOR at the anode achieved a faradaic efficiency (F.E.) of approximately 60% for formate production; while the CO2RR at the cathode reduced CO2 to CO with a F.E. exceeding 95% over a wide range of potentials. Furthermore; to elucidate the commercialization potential of the EGOR∥CO2RR; we developed a rigorous process simulation with techno-economic and environmental assessments incorporating PET hydrolysis and downstream separation at an industrial scale. Three process configurations were designed and evaluated; revealing that hydrolysis and separation dominate the overall process efficiency rather than electrochemical performance alone. Moreover; we demonstrate that improvements in EGOR∥CO2RR technology can approach cost parity with fossil-based terephthalic acid and achieve lower CO2-equivalent emissions; thereby providing a viable pathway toward commercialization of the technology.

Integrated upcycling of PET waste via ethylene glycol oxidation and CO2 electroreduction: full-cell demonstration with techno-economic and environmental assessments

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