Recent progress on recycling and upcycling of PET plastic waste into high-value-added materials for versatile applications

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic waste is one of the major threats to our ecosystem and human health. Benefiting from its primary constituents, such as terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG), PET waste can be effectively upcycled into high-value-added materials for green and sustainable applications. Recent studies show promising findings in converting PET waste into hydrocarbons and H₂ fuel, as well as upcycling PET waste into efficient materials for eco-friendly applications, such as triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), CO₂ capture, and energy storage devices. This review presents recent advancements in PET conversion processes and reforming, including photo-reforming, electro-reforming, and photoelectro-reforming. Additionally, the article discusses various applications of upcycling PET waste, such as Electricity generation based on TENG technology, hydrogen production, CO₂ mitigation, energy storage, constriction materials, and textile and fiber industry. The article also highlights the challenges and future directions of PET waste upcycling processes. In general, this review offers a valuable evaluation into the potential of upcycling PET plastic waste for sustainable energy and material production while reducing the harmful environmental effects of plastic waste.