Laser flash pyrolysis of face mask waste to vinylidene-terminated PP wax and further functionalized as compatibilizer.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks, as personal protective equipment (PPE) against the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), have been widely used worldwide. How to properly dispose of used PPE has brought a huge challenge to the ecosystem and human health. Here we proposed a laser flash pyrolysis (LFP) strategy to upcycle the used polypropylene(PP) face mask to vinylidene-terminated PP wax (PP-VDT) and further functionalized for compatibilizer application.