NaOH solution-assisted pyrolysis of waste polycarbonate for co-production of phenolic compounds and supercapacitor material

•NaOH solution-assisted pyrolysis of polycarbonate was developed.•The yields of phenol and 4-isopropenylphenol were up to 35.3 wt% and 29.9 wt%.•Activated carbon was obtained from pyrolytic solid residue without additional activators.•The specific gravimetric capacitance of activated carbon reached 182.1 F/g at 1 A/g.