Recycling and depolymerisation of poly(ethylene terephthalate): a review

Abstract

The superior properties of plastic have led to its widespread use in people's clothing, food, housing and transportation. However, the large amount of accumulated plastic waste that cannot be deconstructed has a negative impact on the environment. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), since its introduction to the market in 1941, has been widely used in industry and households. Due to the relative activity of the ester group in the molecular chain, it provides unlimited potential for the degradability of PET. This article takes PET as an example, introduces the current common processes of PET recycling and depolymerisation, elaborates on the reaction mechanisms of various methods, and looks forward to the future development trend of solving the problem of PET pollution.