Functional materials derived from waste plastics: Applications, properties and challenges

The global production and recycling of plastics are seriously imbalanced, and how to deal with and dispose of large amounts of waste plastics has become a focus of global concern. The upgrading of high-value resource recovery technology has made the recycling of waste plastics a reality. Waste plastic-derived functional carbon materials and catalysts have been used in separation, catalysis, fluorescence sensing, and energy storage, etc. Although some progress has been made in the chemical recycling of waste plastics at present, there is still a significant knowledge gap in the application of derived high-value products. This paper reviews the applications of waste plastic-derived functional materials in adsorption, separation, degradation, and energy storage. The application prospects of waste plastic-derived functional materials are analyzed in detail from multiple aspects. The advantages of waste plastic-derived materials in wastewater treatment, the challenges and existing knowledge gaps in the preparation and application processes are discussed. At present, most of the research is still at the theoretical stage. How to achieve the replication and transfer of the preparation process and application scenarios from small-scale to large-scale is a key issue worth considering. In general, the chemical conversion of waste plastics and the output of high-value functional materials is a wise choice, which can further reduce waste plastics in the environment, but the key factors still need to be explored. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the preparation and application of waste plastic-derived functional materials and offers new insights for promoting the development of this field.