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Light-driven polymer recycling to monomers and small molecules

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Wimberger

    (The University of New South Wales)

  • Gervase Ng

    (The University of New South Wales)

  • Cyrille Boyer

    (The University of New South Wales)

Abstract

Only a small proportion of global plastic waste is recycled, of which most is mechanically recycled into lower quality materials. The alternative, chemical recycling, enables renewed production of pristine materials, but generally comes at a high energy cost, particularly for processes like pyrolysis. This review focuses on light-driven approaches for chemically recycling and upcycling plastic waste, with emphasis on reduced energy consumption and selective transformations not achievable with heat-driven methods. We focus on challenging to recycle backbone structures composed of mainly C‒C bonds, which lack functional groups i.e., esters or amides, that facilitate chemical recycling e.g., by solvolysis. We discuss the use of light, either in conjunction with heat to drive depolymerization to monomers or via photocatalysis to transform polymers into valuable small molecules. The structural prerequisites for these approaches are outlined, highlighting their advantages as well as limitations. We conclude with an outlook, addressing key challenges, opportunities, and provide guidelines for future photocatalyst (PC) development.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Wimberger & Gervase Ng & Cyrille Boyer, 2024. "Light-driven polymer recycling to monomers and small molecules," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-46656-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46656-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jiajia Zheng & Sangwon Suh, 2019. "Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(5), pages 374-378, May.
    2. Coralie Jehanno & Jill W. Alty & Martijn Roosen & Steven Meester & Andrew P. Dove & Eugene Y.-X. Chen & Frank A. Leibfarth & Haritz Sardon, 2022. "Critical advances and future opportunities in upcycling commodity polymers," Nature, Nature, vol. 603(7903), pages 803-814, March.
    3. Ruochen Cao & Mei-Qi Zhang & Chaoquan Hu & Dequan Xiao & Meng Wang & Ding Ma, 2022. "Catalytic oxidation of polystyrene to aromatic oxygenates over a graphitic carbon nitride catalyst," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Jiajia Zheng & Sangwon Suh, 2019. "Publisher Correction: Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(7), pages 567-567, July.
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