A new strategy to synthesize degradable polystyrene of ultra-high molecular weight

Abstract

Degradation or recycling of styrene-copolymers whose main chains are saturated carbon chains is very difficult under natural conditions. Here, we synthesized a new styrene-copolymer with degradable groups in the main chain using an emulsion polymerization process at room temperature by first synthesizing a functional monomer (tert-butyl lipoate) with cyclic disulfide bonds.