Chemically recyclable thermoplastics from reversible-deactivation polymerization of cyclic acetals

Abel, Brooks A.; Snyder, Rachel L.; Coates, Geoffrey W.

doi:10.1126/science.abh0626

Chemically recyclable thermoplastics from reversible-deactivation polymerization of cyclic acetals

Journal Article · Thu Aug 12 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abh0626· OSTI ID:1812976

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Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Baker Laboratory, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

Identifying plastics capable of chemical recycling to monomer (CRM) is the foremost challenge in creating a sustainable circular plastic economy. Polyacetals are promising candidates for CRM but lack useful tensile strengths owing to the low molecular weights produced using current uncontrolled cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) methods. Here, we present reversible-deactivation CROP of cyclic acetals using a commercial halomethyl ether initiator and an indium(III) bromide catalyst. Using this method, we synthesize poly(1,3-dioxolane) (PDXL), which demonstrates tensile strength comparable to some commodity polyolefins. Depolymerization of PDXL using strong acid catalysts returns monomer in near-quantitative yield and even proceeds from a commodity plastic waste mixture. Our efficient polymerization method affords a tough thermoplastic that can undergo selective depolymerization to monomer.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

OSTI ID:: 1812976

Journal Information:: Science, Journal Name: Science Journal Issue: 6556 Vol. 373; ISSN 0036-8075

Publisher:: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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