Zheng, J., Png, Z. M., Oh, X. Y., Zuo, H., & Li, Z. (2025). Recycling homocarbon backbone polymers toward a circular materials economy. Chem, 102406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2024.102406
Abstract:
Global plastic waste has reached a critical level, posing serious hazards to ecosystems and human health due to its persistent presence in landfills, oceans, and natural environments. Unlike heteroatom-backbone polymers featuring a heterochain structure, homocarbon backbone polymers with nonpolar carbon-carbon backbones exhibit unprecedented durability and resistance to environmental factors, making them less prone to degradation. Consequently, the conversion of such plastic waste into valuable chemicals via chemical recycling presents a crucial solution to address the issues stemming from plastic waste. This review aims to summarize the latest developments in the closed-loop recycling and upcycling of homocarbon backbone polymers, with a specific focus on the conversion of waste plastics into their original monomers and/or value-added chemicals through bio-, thermo-, and photocatalysis, promoting a circular economy. Notably, the development of highly active catalysts and related depolymerization systems accelerates the evolution of plastic degradation and enhances product controllability, rendering plastic waste recycling feasible and affordable.
License type:
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Funding Info:
This research / project is supported by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research - RIE2025 Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity (MTC) Programmatic Fund
Grant Reference no. : M22K9b0049