Recent progress for microwave catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste to valuable chemicals

Abstract

Plastic waste is accumulating in our environment, causing severe threats to the ecosystem and our human health. Conventional recycling methods often suffer from low efficiency and poor product value, limiting their extensive application. By comparison, microwave catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste is a promising route due to its rapid and uniform heating, high energy efficiency, and superior product selectivity. Here we review recent progress in applying microwave catalytic pyrolysis for plastic waste from the perspective of type, functions, and control strategies of catalysts. It introduces the fundamental principles of microwave heating in the catalytic pyrolysis process, and the conversion pathway of plastic waste under different catalyst systems, emphasizing the relationship between catalyst properties and product selectivity. The high economic viability of this technology provides huge potential for its further development. Finally, challenges, including catalyst stability, mechanism study, and the gap between lab and real-world scenarios, are also critically discussed. Overall, microwave catalysis shows huge potential for plastic waste upcycling.