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Related Concept Videos

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

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 polymer...
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Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a synthetic polymer widely utilized in the packaging industry, particularly for bottles and containers. Due to its chemical stability and durability, PET accumulates in the environment, contributing significantly to plastic pollution. It comprises repeating units of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, resulting in a semi-crystalline structure that is resistant to natural degradation processes.A notable breakthrough in plastic biodegradation came with the...
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview01:13

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 of a...
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)00:53

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)01:16

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...
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism00:57

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The cationic polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. In the initiation step of the polymerization process, the π bond of a monomer gets protonated by the Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from boron trifluoride and water. The protonation of the π bond generates a carbocation stabilized by the electron‐donating group. In the propagation step, the π bond of the second monomer acts as a nucleophile and attacks the generated carbocation,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 1, 2026

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation
15:33

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation

Published on: October 29, 2013

Metal-Organic Framework-Gated Biocatalysis Enables Triggered Depolymerization of Melt-Processed Polyesters.

Shitong Cui1, Jing Tian2,3, Mengyu Zhu1

  • 1Department of Chemical Engineering, Ministry of Education, Key Lab for Industrial Biocatalysis, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.

Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|June 30, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Enzymes encapsulated in metal-organic frameworks maintain activity during high-temperature polymer processing. This enables triggered, on-demand depolymerization of plastics like PCL, PBAT, and PLA, enhancing recycling and waste management.

Keywords:
enzyme‐MOF compositesenzyme‐metal cooperative catalysismelt extrusionmetal–organic frameworks (MOFs)polyester degradation

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Published on: November 21, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Biocatalysis
  • Polymer Chemistry

Background:

  • Enzyme deactivation at high temperatures hinders biocatalytic applications in melt-processed polymers.
  • Controlled depolymerization of common plastics like PCL, PBAT, and PLA remains a significant environmental challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a method for preserving enzyme activity during polymer melt processing.
  • To enable triggered, on-demand depolymerization of polyesters using encapsulated enzymes.

Main Methods:

  • Encapsulation of enzymes within zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) to create Enzyme@ZIF-8 biocomposites.
  • Compounding of Enzyme@ZIF-8 with PCL, PBAT, and PLA using twin-screw extrusion.
  • Assessment of enzyme activity retention, polymer mechanical properties, and degradation rates after chemical triggering.

Main Results:

  • Enzyme@ZIF-8 retained >85% activity after 2 minutes at 180°C.
  • Biocomposite production achieved ~50 kg/day, scalable to tonne-per-day compounding.
  • Enzyme@ZIF/plastic composites maintained mechanical properties comparable to neat polymers.
  • Depolymerization rates increased 13.3-62.8-fold for PCL and PLA, and 1.7-fold for PBAT, with triggered release.

Conclusions:

  • Metal-organic framework-gated biocatalysis offers a viable strategy for melt-processable, triggered polymer depolymerization.
  • This platform is compatible with industrial polymer manufacturing and enhances end-of-life options for polyesters.
  • The approach facilitates efficient and controlled degradation of plastics, addressing key environmental concerns.