Photothermal Revolution in Plastic Upcycling

Abstract

ConspectusPlastics, a cornerstone of modern civilization, have profoundly transformed numerous aspects of contemporary life. However, their large-scale production and consumption have resulted in severe and unsustainable ecological pressure. The continuous accumulation of plastic waste worldwide, exacerbated by inadequate or inefficient recycling infrastructures, poses a growing threat to fragile ecosystems and has escalated into a global environmental crisis. Conventional recycling methods often entail energy-intensive processes, with further limitations arising from suboptimal efficiency and the generation of secondary pollutants. Addressing these challenges demands systematic innovation toward a new generation of recycling technologies that integrate high efficiency, low energy input, and improved environmental sustainability.Photothermal catalysis has recently emerged as a highly promising pathway for plastic upcycling. By utilizing solar energy to drive chemical transformations, this approach synergistically integrates photochemical and thermochemical activation mechanisms, overcoming the inherent limitations of single-mode reaction systems. Our group has contributed a series of advances in this field, deepening the fundamental understanding of underlying mechanisms and promoting its practical implementation. This Account focuses on three key aspects: (i) rational design principles for photothermal catalytic systems; (ii) precise activation mechanisms of C-X bonds during photothermal plastic conversion; and (iii) techno-economic and environmental sustainability assessments of photothermal upcycling technologies. Broad-spectrum solar energy is efficiently captured and converted into localized heat and reactive species via plasmonic resonance, nonradiative relaxation, and molecular vibrational excitation, creating confined microenvironments capable of activating C-X bonds under mild bulk conditions. The core mechanism involves not only rapid kinetic enhancement through nanoscale heating but also synergistic interactions between the photothermal effect and carefully engineered catalytic active sites. These effects collectively enhance reactant adsorption, induce electronic polarization and redistribution in target bonds, and significantly reduce activation barriers. Since the process is primarily driven by solar energy rather than conventional bulk heating, it exhibits substantial advantages in terms of energy consumption and carbon emissions, as corroborated by techno-economic and life-cycle assessments. Thus, photothermal catalysis offers a transformative and sustainable route for plastic upcycling, uniting high atom economy with environmental compatibility. For future industrial adoption, research efforts should prioritize: (1) developing broad-spectrum catalytic platforms compatible with complex and mixed plastic feedstocks; (2) elucidating reaction mechanisms across multiple scales─from molecular activation to reactor design; and (3) designing continuous-flow systems capable of large-scale processing. Through the integration of advanced functional materials, operando characterization techniques, and scalable reactor engineering, photothermal catalysis represents a paradigm-shifting strategy for sustainable plastic management.

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