Pioneering Aromatic Generation from Plastic Waste via Catalytic Thermolysis: A Minireview

Pyrolysis is an important process to mitigate the issues of plastic waste accumulation and fossil energy resource exhaustion as it can convert plastic waste into value-added chemicals. Accordingly, in this comprehensive review, the pyrolysis mechanisms and product distributions of common plastics, such as polystyrene, polyethylene, poly(ethylene terephthalate) polypropylene, and poly(vinyl chloride), and their blends are examined, and the inherent properties of these plastics are analyzed. This review primarily focuses on recent advancements in catalytic pyrolysis, specifically in the transformation of plastic waste into aromatics. Additionally, detailed descriptions of the intricate connections between the resulting products and various reaction conditions, including reactor type, catalyst, and reaction temperature, are provided. Furthermore, mechanistic and kinetic studies are systematically evaluated. Finally, challenges and prospective trends in the catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste are summarized. This review offers insights that can serve as references for the development of industrially applicable pyrolysis catalysts and plastic recycling systems.