Advances in Electrocatalytic Upcycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate to Value‐Added Chemicals

ABSTRACT Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics are widely used in daily life and industrial fields, yet their massive consumption has triggered severe environmental issues. Electrocatalysis provides an environmentally friendly strategy for PET upcycling. Following the necessary depolymerization of PET into terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG), central to this technology is the electrocatalytic control over C─C bond cleavage or preservation in EG, thereby enabling the production of high‐value chemicals. This review highlights recent progress in the valorization of PET‐derived EG via electrochemical ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR). The efficiency of electrocatalytic PET upcycling is largely governed by catalyst design, which is mainly classified into two core categories: precious‐metal‐based and non‐precious‐metal‐based catalysts. These approaches are critically examined in this work. Through rational catalyst engineering, EGOR enables the production of valuable C 1 –C 3 compounds, including formic acid (FA), glycolic acid (GA), and lactic acid (LA), underscoring its potential in chemical synthesis. Furthermore, when coupled with cathodic reactions including CO 2 reduction, nitrate reduction, or oxalic acid reduction, the integrated process enables dual‐electrode valorization, thus significantly improving the overall economic feasibility. Finally, this review concludes by outlining key challenges in catalyst design, PET sources, reactor design, and offers perspectives on electrocatalytic upcycling for sustainable carbon cycles.