Recent Advances in the Photoreforming of Plastic Waste: Principles, Challenges, and Perspectives

Photoreforming(PR) technology is a green and sustainable approachto tackling the environmental pollution problems generated by plasticwaste. In this review, recent advances in the PR of plastic wasteare summarized that include the design of photocatalysts, regulationson the products, and innovations on the PR devices and compared totraditional methods. The scientific principles of PR reactions inthermodynamics and kinetics are discussed, and approaches to improvethe efficiency of PR reactions are proposed, that involve enhancementin light absorption ability, charge carrier migration/separation efficiency,and surface reaction rate. Particularly, the enhancement for H-2 production in the PR reaction is highlighted, and the applicationsusing large-scale reactors are discussed, with advantages and disadvantagesof recent reactor configurations. In conclusion, the perspectiveson the applications of PR in plastic degradation and hydrogen evolutionare given. This review thus comprehensively summarizes scientificprinciples, challenges, and perspectives of PR reactions on plasticwaste to improve the overall efficiency and potential to be appliedin the industry.