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Updated: Apr 15, 2026
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Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
Published on: December 16, 2022
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Catalytic Autoxidation for Depolymerization of Multilayer Plastic Films.
Ciaran W Lahive1,2, Amy A Cuthbertson1,2, Anna N Walsh1
1Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Laboratory of the Rockies, Golden, Colorado, USA.
Chemsuschem
|April 13, 2026
Summary
Chemical recycling of multilayer plastic films using metal-catalyzed autoxidation effectively breaks down diverse polymers into valuable oxygenates. This versatile method shows promise for plastic waste management, even with additives.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Multilayer plastic films present recycling challenges due to their complex polymer compositions.
- Existing recycling methods struggle with the heterogeneity of mixed polymers found in these films.
- Chemical recycling offers a potential solution for deconstructing complex plastic structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of metal-catalyzed autoxidation for depolymerizing diverse multilayer plastic films.
- To optimize reaction conditions for efficient deconstruction of polyethylene using a Co, Mn, and Br cocatalyst system.
- To assess the method's applicability to various polymers and its resistance to common disruptors.
Main Methods:
- Investigated catalytic autoxidation using a cobalt, manganese, and bromine cocatalyst system on a polyethylene model substrate.
- Utilized high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to characterize product distributions from depolymerized polymers.
- Developed analytical methods for quantifying complex oxygenated product streams.
- Applied optimized conditions to 11 multilayer plastic films containing 10 different polymers and common disruptors.
Main Results:
- Achieved full carbon closure for polyethylene, with oxygenated small molecules contributing up to 48% of the carbon.
- Demonstrated catalytic autoxidation's effectiveness across a broad range of polymer types within multilayer films.
- Showed resistance to nonpolymeric disruptors like aluminum foil and titanium dioxide.
- Observed CO2 generation, indicating areas for process optimization.
Conclusions:
- Metal-catalyzed autoxidation is a versatile chemical recycling method effective for depolymerizing diverse multilayer plastic films.
- The process shows robustness against various polymer types and common additives/disruptors.
- Further reaction engineering and condition modifications are needed to maximize yields of soluble oxygenated products and minimize CO2 formation.
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