Open Access
Review
Upcycling of Waste Plastics into Value-Added Chemicals
Jin Xu
, Jing Zhang*
Author Information
Submitted: 8 Nov 2024 | Revised: 22 Jan 2025 | Accepted: 24 Mar 2025 | Published: 27 Mar 2025
Abstract
The rapid increase in plastic production has led to a severe plastic waste crisis, driving the development of various recycling technologies to mitigate this growing issue. However, these technologies often encounter substantial economic and environmental challenges in their implementation. An increasingly attractive alternative is chemical upcycling, which can transform waste plastics into value-added chemicals. This review systematically examines upcycling technologies applicable to major commercial plastics, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyolefins, polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). We focus on key strategies such as solvolysis, catalytic pyrolysis, hydrocracking and hydrogenolysis, along with some emerging approaches such as electrocatalysis and photooxidation, aiming to summarize emerging trends in the catalytic chemical upcycling of waste plastics.
Keywords
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Volume 2, Issue 1How to Cite
Xu, J., & Zhang, J. (2025). Upcycling of Waste Plastics into Value-Added Chemicals. Science for Energy and Environment, 2(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.53941/see.2025.100004
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