South Korean scientists have unveiled a solar-powered floating panel that simultaneously breaks down plastic waste in water and generates clean hydrogen gas—a dual innovation for fighting pollution and creating green energy.
This device uses a hydrogel-embedded photocatalyst that not only floats efficiently on water surfaces but also absorbs sunlight with high efficiency.
When exposed to sunlight, it breaks down common plastics like PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and releases hydrogen gas, a clean and renewable fuel.
In field trials, a 1 m² prototype ran continuously for over 40 days in both freshwater and seawater, maintaining long-term stability.
The research team envisions scaling the system up to 10–100 m² panels for cost-effective deployment—cleaning up plastic waste while producing sustainable hydrogen energy.
This breakthrough marks a significant step toward dual-action environmental tech, targeting both plastic pollution and clean energy production in one floating solution.
This device uses a hydrogel-embedded photocatalyst that not only floats efficiently on water surfaces but also absorbs sunlight with high efficiency.
When exposed to sunlight, it breaks down common plastics like PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and releases hydrogen gas, a clean and renewable fuel.
In field trials, a 1 m² prototype ran continuously for over 40 days in both freshwater and seawater, maintaining long-term stability.
The research team envisions scaling the system up to 10–100 m² panels for cost-effective deployment—cleaning up plastic waste while producing sustainable hydrogen energy.
This breakthrough marks a significant step toward dual-action environmental tech, targeting both plastic pollution and clean energy production in one floating solution.
South Korean scientists have unveiled a solar-powered floating panel that simultaneously breaks down plastic waste in water and generates clean hydrogen gas—a dual innovation for fighting pollution and creating green energy.
This device uses a hydrogel-embedded photocatalyst that not only floats efficiently on water surfaces but also absorbs sunlight with high efficiency.
When exposed to sunlight, it breaks down common plastics like PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and releases hydrogen gas, a clean and renewable fuel.
In field trials, a 1 m² prototype ran continuously for over 40 days in both freshwater and seawater, maintaining long-term stability.
The research team envisions scaling the system up to 10–100 m² panels for cost-effective deployment—cleaning up plastic waste while producing sustainable hydrogen energy.
This breakthrough marks a significant step toward dual-action environmental tech, targeting both plastic pollution and clean energy production in one floating solution.
