With the widespread application of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) in beverage bottles

textiles

film

and synthetic fibers

the environmental pollution caused by discarded PET products is becoming increasingly prominent. Chemical upcycling of waste PET to prepare high value-added materials is an important technology to solve the environmental pollution problem of waste PET and ensure sustainable development of resources. Based on the work of our research group in this field

this article introduces the research progress on the preparation of high-value porous carbon and metal-organic framework (MOF) material from waste PET in recent years

summarizes the preparation methods of different types of porous carbon and MOF

introduces the influencing factors and reaction mechanisms of PET degradation and carbonization reaction

and discusses the applications of the prepared porous carbon and MOF in interfacial solar-driven water evaporation and its integration with photocatalytic degradation of pollutants and thermoelectric power generation. Prospects are made for the future development direction.