Rapid accumulation of waste tires from automobile industries across the globe poses significant environmental challenges due to their non-biodegradability, complex chemical composition and current disposal techniques. Thus, there is an urgent need to consider recycling and transformation of these waste tires into functional materials while promoting the circular economy and environmental sustainability. Recent advancements in material science research have highlighted the potential of converting waste tires into valuable porous carbon materials based on their rich carbon polymeric composition. Among the various conversion techniques, carbonization and activation have been shown to yield microporous, mesoporous and macroporous carbon with a large specific surface area up to 2450 m2g− 1 with doped heteroatoms (P, B, N and O) that enhances its surface chemistry in diverse applications. Thus, this review looks to investigate various processes involved in converting waste tires into high-performance porous carbon for electrocatalysis, adsorbents, catalyst support, and electrodes for energy storage devices. It also highlights the recent trend of tire compositions, tire chemistry in terms of vulcanization and devulcanization towards a greener economy. Additionally, it proposes future research directions to enhance the viability of waste tire-derived porous carbon materials.

Conversion of waste tires to porous carbon towards diverse applications with enhanced performance
    Abstract
        Graphical Abstract
    1 Introduction
    2 Waste tires properties and their chemistry
        2.1 Physical properties
        2.2 Composition of waste tires
            2.2.1 Rubber components
            2.2.2 Filler materials
            2.2.3 Additives and plasticizers materials
            2.2.4 Reinforcement materials
        2.3 Chemistry of tires
            2.3.1 Vulcanization
            2.3.2 Devulcanization
    3 Conversion process routes for waste tire to porous carbon
        3.1 Pyrolysis
        3.2 Carbonization and activation
        3.3 Molten salt carbonization and activation
    4 Properties of porous carbon from waste tires
        4.1 Surface morphology and structure
        4.2 Specific surface area (SSA) and pore size distribution (PSD)
        4.3 Chemical stability
        4.4 Electrical conductivity
    5 Application and performance of waste tire-derived porous carbon
    6 Environmental and economic benefits
        6.1 Environmental benefits
        6.2 Environmental benefits
    7 Perspectives and future research directions
    8 Conclusion
    Acknowledgements 
    References

• Jiankun Hu(Donghai Laboratory, Zhoushan 316000, Zhejiang, China)
• Yang Hou(Donghai Laboratory, Zhoushan 316000, Zhejiang, China, Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China, School of Biological and Chemical Engineering, NingboTech University, Ningbo 315100, Zhejiang, China)
• Ishioma Laurene Egun(Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China, School of Biological and Chemical Engineering, NingboTech University, Ningbo 315100, Zhejiang, China)
• Zhengfei Chen(School of Biological and Chemical Engineering, NingboTech University, Ningbo 315100, Zhejiang, China) Corresponding author
• Nnanake‑Abasi O. Offiong(Department of Chemical Sciences, Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Nigeria)
• Ekemini S. Essien(Department of Chemical Sciences, Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Nigeria)
• Edidiong S. Akwaowo(Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria)