Biomacromolecules,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: April 7, 2025
Block
polymers
present
an
almost
endless
realm
of
possibilities
to
develop
functional
materials
for
myriad
applications.
The
established
self-assembly
block
allows
researchers
access
properties
that
are
inaccessible
in
homopolymers.
However,
there
is
a
need
more
sustainable
options
than
the
current
commodity
polymers.
Derived
from
renewable
resources
and
industrially
compostable,
poly(lactide)
(PLA)
at
forefront
technological
advancements
Its
material
including
high
stiffness,
relatively
glass
transition
temperature,
semicrystallinity
isotactic
versions
lend
themselves
many
applications,
its
ease
synthesis
provides
well-established
platform
developing
high-performance
materials.
This
Perspective
highlights
recent
associated
with
PLA-containing
polymers,
their
syntheses,
mesostructural
considerations,
mechanical
properties,
resilient
elastomers
tough
plastics.
We
also
give
our
perspective
on
subfield
PLA
outlook
future,
assessment
exciting
developments
yet
come.
Chemical Reviews,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
124(7), P. 4393 - 4478
Published: March 22, 2024
Polyesters
carrying
polar
main-chain
ester
linkages
exhibit
distinct
material
properties
for
diverse
applications
and
thus
play
an
important
role
in
today's
plastics
economy.
It
is
anticipated
that
they
will
even
greater
tomorrow's
circular
economy
focuses
on
sustainability,
thanks
to
the
abundant
availability
of
their
biosourced
building
blocks
presence
bonds
can
be
chemically
or
biologically
cleaved
demand
by
multiple
methods
bring
about
more
desired
end-of-life
plastic
waste
management
options.
Because
this
potential
promise,
there
have
been
intense
research
activities
directed
at
addressing
recycling,
upcycling
biodegradation
existing
legacy
polyesters,
designing
biorenewable
alternatives,
redesigning
future
polyesters
with
intrinsic
chemical
recyclability
tailored
performance
rival
commodity
are
either
petroleum
based
and/or
hard
recycle.
This
review
captures
these
exciting
recent
developments
outlines
challenges
opportunities.
Case
studies
poly(lactic
acid),
poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate)s,
poly(ethylene
terephthalate),
poly(butylene
succinate),
poly(butylene-adipate
presented,
emerging
recyclable
comprehensively
reviewed.
Chemical Reviews,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
124(5), P. 2617 - 2650
Published: Feb. 22, 2024
The
societal
importance
of
plastics
contrasts
with
the
carelessness
which
they
are
disposed.
Their
superlative
properties
lead
to
economic
and
environmental
efficiency,
but
linearity
puts
climate,
human
health,
global
ecosystems
at
risk.
Recycling
is
fundamental
transitioning
this
linear
model
into
a
more
sustainable,
circular
economy.
Among
recycling
technologies,
chemical
depolymerization
offers
route
virgin
quality
recycled
plastics,
especially
when
valorizing
complex
waste
streams
poorly
served
by
mechanical
methods.
However,
exists
in
interlinked
system
end-of-life
fates,
complementarity
each
approach
key
environmental,
economic,
sustainability.
This
review
explores
recent
progress
made
five
commercial
polymers:
poly(ethylene
terephthalate),
polycarbonates,
polyamides,
aliphatic
polyesters,
polyurethanes.
Attention
paid
not
only
catalytic
technologies
used
enhance
efficiencies
also
interrelationship
other
systemic
constraints
imposed
Novel
polymers,
designed
for
depolymerization,
concisely
reviewed
terms
their
underlying
chemistry
potential
integration
current
plastic
systems.
Macromolecules,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
57(5), P. 1919 - 1940
Published: Feb. 22, 2024
The
large
production
and
indiscriminate
disposal
of
plastics
have
resulted
in
serious
resource
global
environmental
crises,
which
has
raised
a
demand
to
develop
more
sustainable
circular
economy.
An
ideal
strategy
address
the
end-of-life
issue
is
next-generation
polymers
with
closed-loop
life
cycles,
can
be
selectively
depolymerized
back
monomers
at
end
their
service
life.
Aliphatic
polyesters
prepared
by
ring-opening
polymerization
(ROP)
moderately
strained
lactones
shown
great
potential
recyclable
polymers.
This
Perspective
highlights
recent
achievements
for
that
are
derived
from
four-,
five-,
six-,
seven-membered
focusing
on
discussion
thermodynamic
kinetic
considerations,
monomer
design
principles
polymer
preparations,
material
properties,
chemical
recyclability.
Finally,
current
challenges
possible
directions
also
discussed.
Chemical Society Reviews,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
53(14), P. 7309 - 7327
Published: Jan. 1, 2024
Oxidative
degradation
is
a
powerful
method
to
degrade
plastics
into
oligomers
and
small
oxidized
products.
While
thermal
energy
has
been
conventionally
employed
as
an
external
stimulus,
recent
advances
in
photochemistry
have
enabled
photocatalytic
oxidative
of
polymers
under
mild
conditions.
This
tutorial
review
presents
overview
degradation,
from
its
earliest
examples
emerging
strategies.
briefly
discusses
the
motivation
development
with
focus
on
underlying
mechanisms.
Then,
we
will
examine
modern
studies
primarily
relevant
catalytic
degradation.
Lastly,
highlight
some
unique
using
unconventional
approaches
for
polymer
such
electrochemistry.
Science,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
387(6736), P. 874 - 880
Published: Feb. 20, 2025
The
reversion
of
vinyl
polymers
with
carbon-carbon
backbones
to
their
monomers
represents
an
ideal
path
alleviate
the
growing
plastic
waste
stream.
However,
depolymerizing
such
stable
materials
remains
a
challenge,
state-of-the-art
methods
relying
on
"designer"
that
are
neither
commercially
produced
nor
suitable
for
real-world
applications.
In
this
work,
we
report
main
chain-initiated,
visible
light-triggered
depolymerization
directly
applicable
commercial
containing
undisclosed
impurities
(e.g.,
comonomers,
additives,
or
dyes).
By
in
situ
generation
chlorine
radicals
from
solvent,
near-quantitative
(>98%)
polymethacrylates
could
be
achieved
regardless
synthetic
route
radical
ionic
polymerization),
end
group,
and
molecular
weight
(up
1.6
million
daltons).
possibility
perform
multigram-scale
depolymerizations
confer
temporal
control
renders
methodology
versatile
general
recycling.
Journal of the American Chemical Society,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
146(22), P. 15428 - 15437
Published: May 25, 2024
Chemical
recycling
to
monomers
(CRM)
offers
a
promising
closed-loop
approach
transition
from
current
linear
plastic
economy
toward
more
sustainable
circular
paradigm.
Typically,
this
has
focused
on
modulating
the
ceiling
temperature
(Tc)
of
monomers.
Despite
considerable
advancements,
polymers
with
low
Tc
often
face
challenges
such
as
inadequate
thermal
stability,
exemplified
by
poly(γ-butyrolactone)
(PGBL)
decomposition
∼200
°C.
In
contrast,
floor
(Tf)-regulated
polymers,
particularly
those
synthesized
via
ring-opening
polymerization
(ROP)
macrolactones,
inherently
exhibit
enhanced
thermodynamic
stability
increases.
However,
development
Tf
regulated
chemically
recyclable
remains
relatively
underexplored.
context,
judicious
design
and
efficient
synthesis
biobased
macrocyclic
diester
monomer
(HOD),
we
developed
type
-regulated
poly(ketal-ester)
(PHOD).
First,
entropy-driven
ROP
HOD
generated
high-molar
mass
PHOD
exceptional
Td,5%
reaching
up
353
Notably,
it
maintains
high
345
°C
even
without
removing
catalyst.
This
contrasts
markedly
PGBL,
which
spontaneously
depolymerizes
back
above
its
in
presence
Second,
displays
outstanding
chemical
recyclability
at
room
within
just
1
min
tBuOK.
Finally,
copolymerization
pentadecanolide
(PDL)
high-performance
copolymers
(PHOD-co-PPDL)
tunable
mechanical
properties
both
components.
Angewandte Chemie International Edition,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
63(22)
Published: March 16, 2024
Abstract
Chemical
recycling
of
polymers
to
monomers
presents
a
promising
solution
the
escalating
crisis
associated
with
plastic
waste.
Despite
considerable
progress
made
in
this
field,
primary
efforts
have
been
focused
on
redesigning
new
produce
readily
recyclable
polymers.
In
contrast,
limited
research
into
potential
seemingly
“non‐polymerizable”
has
conducted.
Herein,
we
propose
paradigm
that
leverages
“chaperone”‐assisted
strategy
establish
closed‐loop
circularity
for
α,
β‐conjugated
lactone,
5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐pyran‐2‐one
(DPO).
The
resulting
PDPO,
structural
analogue
poly(δ‐valerolactone)
(PVL),
exhibits
enhanced
thermal
properties
melting
point
(
T
m
)
114
°C
and
decomposition
temperature
d,5%
305
°C.
Notably,
owing
similarity
between
DPO
δ‐VL,
copolymerization
generates
semi‐crystalline
P(DPO‐
co
‐VL)s
irrespective
incorporation
ratio.
Intriguingly,
inherent
C=C
bonds
enable
their
convenient
post‐functionalization
via
Michael‐addition
reaction.
Lastly,
PDPO
was
demonstrated
be
chemically
ring‐closing
metathesis
(RCM),
representing
significant
step
towards
pursuit
enabling
lactones
without
altering
ultimate
polymer
structure.
Angewandte Chemie International Edition,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
63(13)
Published: Feb. 15, 2024
Abstract
The
development
of
new
chemically
recyclable
polymers
via
monomer
design
would
provide
a
transformative
strategy
to
address
the
energy
crisis
and
plastic
pollution
problem.
Biaryl‐fused
cyclic
esters
were
targeted
generate
axially
chiral
polymers,
which
impart
material
performance.
To
overcome
non‐polymerizability
biaryl‐fused
DBO,
ester
Me‐DBO
installed
with
dimethyl
substitution
was
prepared
enable
its
polymerizability
enhancing
torsional
strain.
Impressively,
readily
went
through
well‐controlled
ring‐opening
polymerization,
producing
polymer
P(Me‐DBO)
high
glass
transition
temperature
(
T
g
>100
°C).
Intriguingly,
mixing
these
complementary
enantiopure
containing
axial
chirality
promoted
transformation
from
amorphous
crystalline
material,
affording
semicrystalline
stereocomplex
melting
more
than
300
°C.
capable
depolymerizing
back
in
efficiency,
highlighting
an
excellent
recyclability.
Chemical Society Reviews,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
53(19), P. 9609 - 9651
Published: Jan. 1, 2024
We
present
the
state-of-the-art
of
circular
polymers
based
on
monomer
and
polymer
design
reversible
ring-opening
addition
polymerization
reactions
without
involvement
other
reactants.
