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Progress on Photo‐, Electro‐, and Photoelectro‐Catalytic Conversion of Recalcitrant Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Polystyrene ‐ A Review
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This review examined photo-, electro-, and photoelectrocatalytic approaches to degrading and upcycling recalcitrant plastics including polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene that resist conventional recycling and accumulate as micro- and nanoplastics. The authors discussed reaction mechanisms, current literature, and the developments needed to make catalytic plastic conversion technically viable at scale.
Recalcitrant waste plastics such a polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene are difficult to recycle and are mostly disposed of in landfills and eventually leached into the environmental as micro- and nano-plastics. This review explores how photo-, electro-, and combined photoelectro-catalytic processes can assist in the degradation and upcycling of waste plastic into different chemicals and mitigate their release to the environment. In this work, we discuss how the different reaction mechanisms proceed, explore the current relevant literature, and highlight the developments needed to advance the field.
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Plastic Waste Conversion by Leveraging Renewable Photo/Electro‐Catalytic Technologies
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Researchers review how renewable energy-driven technologies — photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and their combination — can convert waste plastics into valuable chemicals and fuels, offering a pathway to transform the plastic economy from a linear to a circular model.
Electrocatalytic upcycling of plastic waste: Progress, challenges, and future
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This review surveys electrocatalytic upcycling as a strategy to convert plastic waste into high-value chemicals under mild conditions, examining the mechanisms and structure-activity relationships of electrocatalysts across different plastic types and highlighting advantages over conventional incineration and landfill disposal in terms of efficiency and resource recovery.
Recent progress in upcycling of plastic wastes into value-added chemicals via photo-, electro- and photoelectro-catalytic strategies
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This review summarizes advances in photo-, electro-, and photoelectrocatalytic strategies for converting plastic waste—particularly polyesters and vinyl polymers—into valuable chemical products, highlighting the potential of these mild, renewable-energy-compatible approaches as sustainable alternatives to traditional plastic disposal and mechanical recycling.
Photocatalytic Upcycling of Different Types of Plastic Wastes: A Mini Review
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This mini-review covers recent advances in photocatalytic upcycling of diverse plastic types—including polyolefins, polyesters, and other common polymers—using light-driven chemical reactions that convert plastic waste into value-added chemicals or fuels. The authors summarize the fundamental principles of photocatalytic plastic deconstruction and identify key challenges in achieving scalable, efficient, and selective plastic conversion processes.
State of the art in the photochemical degradation of (micro)plastics: from fundamental principles to catalysts and applications
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This review summarizes research on the photochemical degradation of plastics and microplastics into value-added products and intermediates via photocatalysis. The study covers fundamental principles and catalytic approaches for breaking down plastic pollutants that are otherwise difficult to degrade in the environment.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.