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Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
Published on: December 16, 2022
A Polycondensation-depolymerization strategy enables closed-loop recyclable polyoxalates via ring-opening
Yalei Liu1, Zheng Li1, Dongfang Zhao1
1State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Polymer and Manufacturing Technology, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology Qingdao 266042 China zbli@qust.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Developing a simple and efficient strategy for the scalable production of closed-loop recyclable polymers from abundant and low-cost feedstocks remains highly desirable. Here, we present a facile "polycondensation-depolymerization" approach for the large-scale synthesis of cyclic 1,2-alkylene oxalates, which undergo controlled ring-opening polymerization to yield high-molecular-weight polyoxalates. The influence of alkyl substituents on the polymerization kinetics, thermodynamics, and material properties was systematically investigated. Remarkably, these polyoxalates can be chemically recycled to their pristine monomers with high purity and yield using sodium glycolate as a catalyst. Furthermore, the polyoxalates exhibit excellent marine degradability, providing a promising strategy to tailor the seawater degradation behavior of polyesters through copolymerization.
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