Polymer materials as catalysts for medical, environmental, and energy applications

Catalysts are the backbone of almost all aspects in life, increasing the rate of chemical and biological reactions for greater efficiency. They are ubiquitous in industrial processes, turning raw materials into useful products like milk to yogurt or petroleum into plastic jugs. In the human body, they are called enzymes, and help in creating signals for bodily functions and digesting food, among other tasks. Polymers have commonly been used in catalytic applications as supports for catalytic compounds because of their high surface area, porosity, surface functionality, and chemical inertness towards various harsh conditions. Recently a greater emphasis has been placed on using polymer materials themselves as catalysts, or in conjunction with other compounds to synergically enhance catalytic activity. These types of polymeric catalysts have been used in a range of fields including medical-based applications like antibacterial and wound healing, environmental remediation applications like pollutant degradation and sustainable synthesis, as well as energy applications like sustainable energy generation and storage. In this review, we discuss the various platforms developed for these three main fields and outline challenges and emerging research areas going forward.