Pilot‐Scale Photoreforming of Hydrolyzed Polylactic Acid Waste to High‐Value Chemicals and H ₂ via Atomic Ru Integration

Abstract Photoreforming of polylactic acid (PLA) waste into valuable chemicals offers a promising approach for environmental protection and waste valorization, yet faces challenges of low yields and harsh conditions. Herein, a Cd _0.5 Zn _0.5 S nanotwin catalyst decorated with Ru single atoms and clusters is reported, enabling selective photoreforming of PLA into pyruvic acid (PA) and H ₂ . It is demonstrated that Ru single atoms favor PA formation via hydroxyl dissociation, while the further incorporation of Ru clusters serve as active sites for H ₂ production. This synergistic effect significantly enhances photocatalytic performance, achieving 96.8% PA selectivity and efficient H ₂ production with a record‐breaking apparent quantum efficiency of 83.7% at 400 nm. This approach is scalable for outdoor processes, utilizing direct 1 m ² sunlight irradiation to deliver ≈1191 mL h ⁻¹ of H ₂ and 47.27 mmol h ⁻¹ of PA from PLA waste, paving a viable pathway for large‐scale simultaneous production of high‐value chemicals and H ₂ .