Recycling Valuable Elements from the Chemical Synthesis Process of Nanomaterials: A Sustainable View

Over the past decades, nanomaterials have been proven to have superior properties, because of their unique structural features differentiating from atoms and bulk materials, and their large-scale production for commercial applications has been receiving increased attention. However, the costs and wastes generated during the synthesis process get scant attention, even in the laboratories. In this Perspective, we review and emphasize the significance of recycling valuable elements from the chemical synthesis processes of nanomaterials. Recent advances, including both physical and chemical methods, for recycling valuable by-products during the synthesis process are summarized, and future directions in this research area are proposed and highlighted as well.