Matter
ArticleDual closed-loop chemical recycling of synthetic polymers by intrinsically reconfigurable poly(disulfides)
Progress and potential
It is crucial to develop polymeric materials that can be recycled repeatedly. Here, we show that the intrinsic reconfigurability of poly(thioctic acid) enables the establishment of a closed-loop chemical recycling system among single monomer and two types of polymeric materials. By elaborating the reversible ring-opening polymerization of thioctic acid, both the preparation (polymerization) and recycling (depolymerization) process of this material can be performed in a simple, mild, environmentally friendly, and high-yield manner. The structure and properties of the resulting materials can be easily tuned by the nature of metal ion additives, either exhibiting amorphousness with excellent stretchability and self-healing ability or showing semi-crystallinity with mechanical robustness. This unique polymer combining simplicity of preparation, functional complexity, and chemical recyclability shows great potential in constructing future circular plastic systems.
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Material Advancement Progression
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