Visible‐Light‐Driven Photocatalytic Polyethylene Degradation Using WO 3 Nanoflowers Without Hot‐Press Processing

Plastic waste poses significant environmental and health challenges. Photocatalytic degradation using sunlight offers a promising solution; however, many previous studies have relied on impractical conditions, such as employing ultraviolet light irradiation and hot‐pressed mixture of plastics and photocatalysts. In this study, we explored a simple and practical method for plastic degradation under visible light. A visible‐light‐responsive tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) powder with a nanoflower structure was simply mixed with polyethylene (PE) powder without hot pressing and then irradiated with visible light. Effective degradation of PE was observed, and the reaction proceeded stably under prolonged irradiation. In contrast, a hot‐pressed WO 3 –PE sample exhibited reduced degradation efficiency, likely due to the collapse of the nanoflower structure, which diminished light absorption and surface activity. These findings demonstrate that a simple powder mixture can enable efficient plastic degradation under visible light, presenting a practical strategy for photocatalytic plastic waste treatment and contributing to sustainable environmental solutions.