Hanlin Chen, Xin Guan, Puyan Zhang, Devavrat Sathe, Junpeng Wang
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
While oxidative cleavage has been a well-known strategy to degrade unsaturated polymers, most processes require harsh conditions and/or expensive oxidizing agents. Using O2 to degrade polymers is highly desirable, but no reported process is well controlled for the chemical recycling of polymers. Here, we report a photo-mediated oxidative degradation process for unsaturated polymers under O2 using an earth-abundant Mn catalyst, and the process is demonstrated with polybutadiene, polydicyclopentadiene, and dehydrogenated polyethylene. Nonactivated internal alkenes in these polymers can be effectively cleaved without elevated temperature or pressure. The oxidation process generates acetal as the main functionality, which can be used for further recycling. As a proof of concept, the oligomers with acetal end groups, resulting from the oxidation of polybutadiene, are shown to undergo transacetalization with polyols to form a polymer network. The oxidation process demonstrated here holds promise for the recycling of hydrocarbon polymers under mild conditions in a cost-effective fashion.
期刊介绍:
Cell Reports Physical Science, a premium open-access journal from Cell Press, features high-quality, cutting-edge research spanning the physical sciences. It serves as an open forum fostering collaboration among physical scientists while championing open science principles. Published works must signify significant advancements in fundamental insight or technological applications within fields such as chemistry, physics, materials science, energy science, engineering, and related interdisciplinary studies. In addition to longer articles, the journal considers impactful short-form reports and short reviews covering recent literature in emerging fields. Continually adapting to the evolving open science landscape, the journal reviews its policies to align with community consensus and best practices.