Photocatalytic Upcycling of Plastic Waste Into Value-Added Chemicals

Plastic products have become ubiquitous in our daily lives due to their low cost, durability, and portability. However, the excessive usage of plastics, coupled with inadequate management of post-consumer plastics, inevitably results in a waste of carbon resources and severe environmental issues. In response, photocatalytic conversion of plastic waste into value-added chemicals directly using solar energy has emerged as a sustainable and promising strategy under mild conditions. This review first examined the advantages and limitations of photocatalysis compared to traditional plastic processing methods, including landfill, mechanical recycling, incineration, and thermocatalysis. Subsequently, the effect of pretreatment procedures and photocatalyst selection on solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency was systematically analyzed. Finally, research directions and future prospects were proposed to further advance the photoconversion of plastics into value-added chemicals.