Green valorization of PET waste into functionalized Cu-MOF tailored to catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are attractive functional materials due to their high surface area, high porosity, and flexible compositions. However, the high precursor cost and complex synthetic processes hinder their large-scale applications. Herein, a novel green approach has been developed toward the synthesis of Cu-based MOF by a solvent-free mechano-synthesis method and utilizing consumed polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-derived benzenedicarboxylate (BDC) as the linker. The as-prepared CuBDC and aminated CuBDC (CuBDC-NH₂) act as green catalysts for the reduction of deleterious 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) into the value-added 4-aminophenol (4-AP). Compared with CuBDC, CuBDC-NH₂ shows increased adsorption capability and reduction efficiency. The mechanism and thermodynamic studies suggest that the adsorption of 4-NP on CuBDC-NH₂ is an endothermic, spontaneous, favorable, and physical adsorption process. Furthermore, CuBDC-NH₂ can expedite the reduction of 4-NP by participating in an adsorptive catalytic process. With the CuBDC-NH₂ catalyst, the catalytic normalized kinetic rate of 4-NP was achieved 11.28 mol/min. mg, outperforming state-of-the-art catalysts, and a complete reduction occur in 5 min for a concentrated effluent (200-ppm 4-NP). The plastic waste-derived MOF-mediated catalytic valorization of organic pollutants demonstrated here opens an avenue for the green recycling/utilization of plastic waste, providing meaningful insights into the sustainable management of organic pollutants in wastewater.