Artificial Photoreforming Technology for Plastic Waste Valorization

The escalating depletion of fossil fuels, rising greenhouse gas emissions, and pervasive plastic pollution pose unprecedented threats to the environment and human well-being, underscoring an urgent need for sustainable and clean resource recycling technologies. Solar-driven photoreforming of plastic waste simultaneously generates value-added chemicals, fuels, and carbon materials. Conceptually, this process resembles an artificial photosynthesis system, wherein solar energy serves as the driving force, photocatalysts function as active media, and waste plastics act as the feedstocks. However, the practical efficacy of photoreforming is limited by the extent of plastic pretreatment, the activation ability of inert C─X bonds, and the selectivity toward desired products. This review focuses on the state-of-the-art in solar-driven photoreforming technologies for plastic conversion, offering a comprehensive analysis from fundamental reaction mechanisms to practical implementation. In particular, this review highlights the essential role of in situ characterization in uncovering reaction mechanisms and thereby guiding the construction of efficient reaction systems. Furthermore, key bottlenecks are identified, current mitigation strategies are assessed, and priority research directions are outlined for advancing the sustainable "photosynthesis" of plastic waste.