Jinfeng Dai

The widespread application of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics has generated severe environmental challenges while also providing abundant precursor resources for the sustainable production of carbon materials. This review systematically summarizes state‐of‐the‐art research progress in preparing high‐performance carbon nanomaterials using waste PET as a precursor. It highlights the key characteristics of PET as a carbon source and elucidates its underlying carbonization mechanisms. Core carbonization strategies for converting waste PET into carbon materials, including porous carbon, carbon nanosheets, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and their derivatives, are discussed. The effects of key parameters, such as carbonization temperature, activator type and dosage, catalysts, and reaction atmospheres, on the physicochemical properties of the final carbon materials are also analyzed. Furthermore, potential applications of waste PET‐derived carbon materials are discussed. By integrating contemporary research paradigms, this review underscores the significance of techno‐economic analysis and life cycle assessment in evaluating the sustainability of PET‐derived carbon materials. Finally, future perspectives are summarized to provide a strategic reference for waste PET resource recycling and its green transformation into carbon materials.

Summary: The urgent need to replace petroleum‐derived materials with sustainable alternatives drives innovation at the nexus of plant biotechnology and materials science. Here, we engineered Populus alba × P. glandulosa ‘84 K’ through CRISPR‐Cas9‐mediated knockout of PagGLR2.8, a glutamate receptor gene regulating vascular development, to investigate its role in fibre biosynthesis and composite performance. Knockout of PagGLR2.8 improved the quality of poplar fibre by altering the structure and development mode of poplar vascular tissue. Our study established the relationship between fibre quantity and structure and the performance of polylactic acid (PLA) composites. The mechanical and fire‐resistance properties of these transgenic plant fibres/PLA composites significantly outperformed those of pure PLA, demonstrating the potential of phloem fibres to reinforce toughened composites. Notably, we also evaluated flammability and dripping behaviours, with findings indicating that our optimised fibre/PLA composites exhibit superior strengths, modulus, fire resistance, and anti‐dripping, surpassing those of PLA. This research unveils a groundbreaking approach to regulating composite properties through genetic manipulation and highlights the promising potential of plant‐derived materials in enriching forest resources and advancing the sustainable utilisation of poplar fibres and polymers.