Plastic waste upcycling through electrocatalysis

Abstract

The widespread use and chemical durability of plastics have contributed to the escalating issue of white pollution. Among various mitigation strategies, recycling waste plastics stands out as one of the most effective and sustainable solutions. Electrochemical methods, featuring mild operating conditions, tunable reaction selectivity, and low carbon emissions, have emerged as promising approaches for plastic recycling. This mini review offers a concise summary of recent advances in the electrocatalytic conversion of plastic waste. We highlight key strategies that involve the selective electrooxidation of monomers derived from plastic hydrolysis, the coupling of anodic and cathodic reactions to increase energy efficiency, and the incorporation of heteroatoms to expand the functionality of target products. We conclude by discussing emerging approaches for non-hydrolyzable plastics and the integration of electrocatalysis with complementary methods for broader applicability and scalable circular recycling.