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Related Concept Videos

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

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The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
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Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
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Polymers that are made up of identical monomer units are called homopolymers. Only one repeating unit is involved in the construction of the homopolymer structure. For example, as depicted in Figure 1, polypropylene is a homopolymer constituted of propylene monomers. Here, the only repeating unit in the polymer chain is propylene.
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The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
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Ring-opening metathesis polymerization or ROMP involves strained cycloalkenes as starting materials. The mechanism of ROMP proceeds by reacting cycloalkene with Grubbs catalyst to give metallacyclobutane intermediate which undergoes a ring-opening reaction to form new carbene. The new carbene reacts with another molecule of cycloalkene. Repetition of these steps leads to the formation of an unsaturated open-chain polymer product. All these steps are reversible, however, relieving the ring...
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Copolymers are the products obtained from the polymerization of multiple monomer species. So, in a polymer chain itself, there can be multiple repeating units that come from different monomers. The process of synthesizing a polymer from different monomer species is called copolymerization. When two monomers are involved, the polymer is known as a bipolymer. Polymers with three and four monomers are termed terpolymers and quaterpolymers, respectively. Figure 1 depicts the copolymerization of...
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Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
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Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer

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Chemically Recyclable Biobased Polyurethanes.

Deborah K Schneiderman1, Marie E Vanderlaan2, Alexander M Mannion2

  • 1Departments of Chemistry and ‡Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455-0431, United States.

ACS Macro Letters
|May 24, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces biobased and recyclable polyurethanes (PUs) made from renewable materials. These PUs offer comparable performance to traditional ones and can be chemically recycled, addressing plastic waste challenges.

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Sustainable Materials Science
  • Chemical Engineering

Background:

  • Polyurethanes (PUs) are widely used in various industries but pose significant waste management challenges due to their nondegradable nature.
  • Current disposal methods for postconsumer polyurethane products contribute to a growing environmental burden.
  • There is a critical need for sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived polyurethanes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop biobased and chemically recyclable polyurethanes (PUs).
  • To replace petroleum-derived polyols with renewable and degradable alternatives.
  • To establish an efficient recycling strategy for PUs that overcomes current limitations.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of biobased polyurethanes using hydroxy telechelic poly(β-methyl-δ-valerolactone) derived from renewable resources.
  • Incorporation of this biobased polyol as a replacement for petroleum-derived polyols in PU formulations.
  • Development of a chemical recycling process to recover the β-methyl-δ-valerolactone monomer.

Main Results:

  • The synthesized biobased polyurethanes exhibit performance comparable to conventional petroleum-derived PUs.
  • The materials were successfully processed into thermoplastic polyurethanes and flexible foams.
  • Chemical recycling achieved high purity and high yield recovery of the β-methyl-δ-valerolactone monomer.

Conclusions:

  • Biobased polyurethanes synthesized with renewable polyols offer a sustainable alternative to conventional PUs.
  • The developed chemical recycling process is effective and bypasses common challenges in PU recycling.
  • This approach provides a viable solution for reducing polyurethane waste and promoting a circular economy.