Recent progress of waste plastic upcycling based on multifunctional zeolite catalysts

The chemical upcycling method is a promising strategy to alleviate the pollution problem of waste plastic by tapping into the intrinsic value of waste plastics and converting them into high value-added products. Zeolite-based catalysts are one of the surprising and efficient classes of thermocatalytic materials that have recently attracted considerable attention for waste plastics upcycling. They are designed for targeted applications with a wide range of adjustable acidic sites, multiple pore structures, and synergistic interactions with surface metals. In this review, we categorize plastics being converted into different high-value products, and introduce the role of zeolite-based catalysts in the thermal upcycling of plastics. The structure-performance relationships of zeolite-based catalysts in catalytic reactions are discussed in depth. Finally, the future development of these multifunctional catalysts applied to the upcycling of plastics is outlined.