Issue 43, 2023

Bulk depolymerization of graft polymers based on trans-cyclobutane-fused cyclooctene

Abstract

Polymers capable of undergoing facile and selective depolymerization are highly desired for achieving a fully circular polymer economy. To advance the design of next-generation chemically recyclable polymers, it is essential to understand how the structure and architecture of polymers influence the thermodynamics of depolymerization. In this study, we investigate the structure-depolymerizability relationship of a series of graft polymers with varied sidechain lengths and grafting densities. The precision graft polymers are prepared through ring-opening metathesis polymerization of highly reactive trans-cyclooctene macromonomers and can be depolymerized into the more stable cis-cyclooctene form. Increasing side-chain length or grafting density is found to promote depolymerization. Ball-milling-assisted depolymerization is also pursued but results in significant chain scissions and low monomer yield. The findings here can aid the development of new depolymerizable polymers with useful properties.

Graphical abstract: Bulk depolymerization of graft polymers based on trans-cyclobutane-fused cyclooctene

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 Jul 2023
Accepted
13 Okt 2023
First published
16 Okt 2023

Polym. Chem., 2023,14, 4927-4932

Author version available

Bulk depolymerization of graft polymers based on trans-cyclobutane-fused cyclooctene

Z. Wang and J. Wang, Polym. Chem., 2023, 14, 4927 DOI: 10.1039/D3PY00812F

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