Waste PET upcycling to conductive carbon-based composite through laser-assisted carbonization of UiO-66

The upcycling of waste polymers into novel materials with high added value is a vital task for modern chemical engineering. Here, we propose diversifying waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) upcycling to materials with enhanced photothermal properties by laser-assisted carbonization of surface-grown UiO-66. The UiO-66 homogenous layer was formed using a solvo-thermal procedure on the surface of recycled PET sheets. The treatment by a 405 nm laser system allowed the formation of a carbonaceous layer with enhanced electrical conductivity and photothermal properties due to the presence of zirconium carbide and graphene. The developed approach opens new perspectives in the application of upcycled PET-based materials.