Recent advances on solar-driven valorization of polyethylene terephthalate plastics into value-added chemicals

Abstract

The random disposal and immature recycling of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packages lead to a severe threaten to the ecological system owing to slow natural degradation kinetics of PET plastic, and meanwhile cause a waste of carbon resources stored in PET plastics. Many methods have been developed to recycle PET plastics, such as mechanical recycling, which induced a reduced property relative to the virgin PET. In recent years, the photocatalytic conversion of PET plastic wastes into chemicals has received considerable attention due to their unique advantages, including mild conditions, less energy consumption, and simple operation. In this review, we have summarized the latest achievements in photoreforming of PET plastics into value-added chemicals. Primarily, we described the mechanism for bond cleavage during PET photoreforming, the emerging pretreatment methodologies for PET plastics, and the advantages of photocatalytic PET plastics conversion. Then, we introduced electro-/bio-assisted photocatalysis technologies for PET disposal and commented their strengths and limitations. Finally, we put forward the challenges and potential advances in the domain of photocatalytic PET plastics conversion.

Recent advancement on photocatalytic plastic upcycling

“…Around 80% of used plastics are accumulated in the natural environment or ended up in landfills. 1–33 Recently, various dealing strategies have been developed for treating plastic wastes, such as incineration, mechanical recycling, thermochemical conversion and electrocatalytic/photocatalytic techniques. 1–33 Among them, large-scale incineration and landfills are the two most general routes because they are inexpensive, facile and adaptable to various feedstock.…”

“…1–33 Recently, various dealing strategies have been developed for treating plastic wastes, such as incineration, mechanical recycling, thermochemical conversion and electrocatalytic/photocatalytic techniques. 1–33 Among them, large-scale incineration and landfills are the two most general routes because they are inexpensive, facile and adaptable to various feedstock. 1–33 Unfortunately, these two traditional routes are susceptible to deleterious environmental impacts and negligible added values.…”

“…1–33 Among them, large-scale incineration and landfills are the two most general routes because they are inexpensive, facile and adaptable to various feedstock. 1–33 Unfortunately, these two traditional routes are susceptible to deleterious environmental impacts and negligible added values. 1–33 Low value products are manufactured by mechanical recycling, which down-cycles plastic wastes into low value products and is also restricted to single-component and few types of clean thermoplastics.…”

“…1–33 Unfortunately, these two traditional routes are susceptible to deleterious environmental impacts and negligible added values. 1–33 Low value products are manufactured by mechanical recycling, which down-cycles plastic wastes into low value products and is also restricted to single-component and few types of clean thermoplastics. 1–33 In contrast, upcycling conversion of plastic wastes, e.g.…”

Upgrading polyethylene terephthalate plastic into commodity chemicals paired with hydrogen evolution over a partially oxidized CuIn5S8 nanosheet photocatalyst

“…1–3 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as the most widely used polyester plastic enables a myriad of applications in the packaging and textile industries. 4–6 Despite its versatility, the inappropriate management of post-consumer PET plastic, including landfill or incineration, has led to an ecological challenge. 7,8 Considerable efforts have been thus devoted to process plastic waste through well-developed conventional technologies ( e.g.…”