  The escalating global issue of plastic waste accumulation, specifically
polyolefins, necessitates an urgent solution for upcycling these materials into
beneficial compounds. Yet, achieving such upcycling without introducing carbon
dioxide into the environment remains a formidable challenge. In this study, we
demonstrate an eco-friendly approach for the photochemical conversion of
ultrastrong, ultratransparent, and ultrathin polyethylene membrane into fibrous
carbon nanomembrane at ambient conditions. The membrane was sputter-coated with
platinum and cuprous oxide nanoparticles and exposed to simulated sunlight,
resulting in a porous carbon membrane decorated with Pt nanoparticles. The new
carbonized nanomembrane maintained the pristine membrane's morphology. The
membrane exhibited high activity (2.11 mA/cm2) for electrochemical ethanol
oxidation with stability over 1000 cycles. This work holds significance for
sustainable plastic waste management and the design of new polyolefin materials
in a circular economy.
