Dual Recycling of Depolymerization Catalyst and Biodegradable Polyester that Markedly Outperforms Polyolefins

Li, Xin‐Lei; Clarke, Ryan W.; An, Hai‐Yan; Gowda, Ravikumar R.; Jiang, Jing‐Yang; Xu, Tie‐Qi; Chen, Eugene Y.‐X.

doi:10.1002/anie.202303791

Title: Dual Recycling of Depolymerization Catalyst and Biodegradable Polyester that Markedly Outperforms Polyolefins

Journal Article · 27 April 2023 · Angewandte Chemie (International Edition)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202303791 · OSTI ID:1973892

Li, Xin‐Lei ^[1]; Clarke, Ryan W. ^[2]; An, Hai‐Yan ^[1]; Gowda, Ravikumar R. ^[2]; Jiang, Jing‐Yang ^[1];

^[1];

^[2]

Dalian Univ. of Technology (China)
Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

Chemically recyclable, circular polymers continue to attract increasing attention, but rendering both catalysts for depolymerization and high-performance polymers recyclable is a more sustainable yet challenging goal. Here we introduce a dual catalyst/polymer recycling system in that recyclable inorganic phosphomolybdic acid catalyzes selective depolymerization of high-ceiling-temperature biodegradable poly(δ-valerolactone) in bulk phase, which, upon reaching suitable molecular weight, exhibits outstanding mechanical performance with a high tensile strength of ≈66.6 MPa, fracture strain of ≈904 %, and toughness of ≈308 MJ m^–3, and thus markedly outperforms commodity polyolefins, recovering its monomer in pure state and quantitative yield at only 100 °C. In sharp contrast, the uncatalyzed depolymerization not only requires a high temperature of >310 °C but is also low yielding and non-selective. Importantly, the recovered monomer can be repolymerized as is to reproduce the same polymer, thereby closing the circular loop, and the recycled catalyst can be reused repeatedly for depolymerization runs without loss of its catalytic activity and efficiency.

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Research Organization:: Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States); Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO); USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0022290; AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1973892

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1973893; OSTI ID: 2422134

Journal Information:: Angewandte Chemie (International Edition), Vol. 62, Issue 26; ISSN 1433-7851

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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