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Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview

Recently, the development of olefin metathesis polymerization advanced the field of polymer synthesis. Simply put, the reorganization of substituents on their double bonds between two olefins in the presence of a catalyst is known as the olefin metathesis reaction. The use of metathesis reaction for polymer synthesis is called olefin metathesis polymerization.
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists...

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters

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.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the...

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)

Acyclic diene metathesis polymerization or ADMET polymerization involves cross-metathesis of terminal dienes, such as 1,8-nonadiene, to give linear unsaturated polymer and ethylene. As ADMET is a reversible process, the formed ethylene gas must be removed from the reaction mixture to complete the polymerization process.
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)

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...

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Ziegler–Natta polymerization is another form of addition or chain‐growth polymerization used for synthesizing linear polymers over branched polymers. The catalyst used for polymerization is the Ziegler–Natta catalyst, named after Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta, who developed it in 1953. This catalyst is an organometallic complex of titanium tetrachloride and triethyl aluminum, with the active form of the catalyst being an alkyl titanium compound. Using the Ziegler–Natta...

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Updated: Aug 11, 2025

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers

Published on: December 16, 2022

Emerging Trends in Closed-Loop Recycling Polymers: Monomer Design and Catalytic Bulk Depolymerization.

Ye Liu¹, Xiao-Bing Lu¹

¹State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P. R. China.

Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)

|February 4, 2023

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Chemical recycling of plastics enables a circular economy by converting polymers back to monomers. This study highlights the design of monomers and catalysts for efficient bulk thermolysis and repolymerization of polyesters, polycarbonates, and polyacetals.

Keywords:

bulk depolymerization chemical recycl material property e monomer design polyester

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Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers

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Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers

Published on: June 20, 2019

Area of Science:

Polymer Science
Materials Chemistry
Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

Plastics are essential but cause resource depletion and environmental issues.
Chemical recycling offers a circular economy solution by converting polymers back to monomers.
This process maintains material properties for repolymerization into virgin polymers.

Purpose of the Study:

To focus on the advantages of chemically recyclable polymers.
To explore monomer design, material properties, and bulk depolymerization feasibility.
To discuss rational monomer design and efficient catalyst development for chemical recycling.

Main Methods:

Investigated bulk thermolysis for chemical recycling of polyesters, CO2-based polycarbonates, and polyacetals.
Focused on polymers synthesized via ring-opening polymerization.
Evaluated monomer design and catalyst development for depolymerization efficiency.

Main Results:

Highlighted the recyclability of specific polymer classes via bulk thermolysis.
Demonstrated the importance of rational monomer design for efficient depolymerization.
Showcased advancements in catalyst development for selective polymer conversion.

Conclusions:

Chemically recyclable polymers are key to establishing a circular material economy.
Bulk thermolysis offers a viable route for recycling polyesters, polycarbonates, and polyacetals.
Future work should focus on designing monomers and polymers for high depolymerization activity and selectivity.