Valorization of Waste Plastic as a Flexible Electrode for Electrochromic Applications
- 1Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai , , , ,
Abstract
Modern technological advancements have greatly improved human life, but at a high environmental cost. Plastic packaging has become nearly ubiquitous, leading to excessive plastic waste generation. Although recycling efforts are widespread, they are often energy-intensive and not always cost-effective. Consequently, there is a growing research interest in repurposing plastic waste into value-added functional materials. In this work, plastic substrates obtained from used beverage cups are used as a substrate for electrochromic electrodes via a simple one-pot electroless deposition and an electrochemical conversion method. This simple, redox-driven, and scalable synthesis method enables the direct deposition of a conductive and electrochromic Ni thin film on a flexible substrate obtained from waste plastic cups. The fabricated electrode exhibits a uniform microspherical morphology, offering a high surface area that enhances its electrochemical performance. The electrode demonstrates excellent electrochromic properties, including fast switching speeds of a few seconds between colored and bleached states with excellent cycling stability. Furthermore, by integrating the conductive and electrochromic functions into a single layer, this approach simplifies device architecture and improves charge transport. This study presents a sustainable and cost-effective strategy for upcycling plastic waste into high-performance electrochromic materials.
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BibTeX
@article{kumar2026valorization,
title = {{Valorization of Waste Plastic as a Flexible Electrode for Electrochromic Applications}},
author = {Tikendra Kumar and Prerna Bhagat and Amit Rana and Anjali Chaudhary},
journal = {ACS Omega},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1021/acsomega.6c11527},
url = {https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/doi/10.1021/acsomega.6c11527/5456436/Valorization-of-Waste-Plastic-as-a-Flexible},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Valorization of Waste Plastic as a Flexible Electrode for Electrochromic Applications
AU - Tikendra Kumar
AU - Prerna Bhagat
AU - Amit Rana
AU - Anjali Chaudhary
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - ACS Omega
DO - 10.1021/acsomega.6c11527
UR - https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/doi/10.1021/acsomega.6c11527/5456436/Valorization-of-Waste-Plastic-as-a-Flexible
AB - Modern technological advancements have greatly improved human life, but at a high environmental cost. Plastic packaging has become nearly ubiquitous, leading to excessive plastic waste generation. Although recycling efforts are widespread, they are often energy-intensive and not always cost-effective. Consequently, there is a growing research interest in repurposing plastic waste into value-added functional materials. In this work, plastic substrates obtained from used beverage cups are used as a substrate for electrochromic electrodes via a simple one-pot electroless deposition and an electrochemical conversion method. This simple, redox-driven, and scalable synthesis method enables the direct deposition of a conductive and electrochromic Ni thin film on a flexible substrate obtained from waste plastic cups. The fabricated electrode exhibits a uniform microspherical morphology, offering a high surface area that enhances its electrochemical performance. The electrode demonstrates excellent electrochromic properties, including fast switching speeds of a few seconds between colored and bleached states with excellent cycling stability. Furthermore, by integrating the conductive and electrochromic functions into a single layer, this approach simplifies device architecture and improves charge transport. This study presents a sustainable and cost-effective strategy for upcycling plastic waste into high-performance electrochromic materials.
SN - 2470-1343
ER -