Polymer recycling via monomer reuse

Polymers comprise over half of all materials in global use and “plastic crisis” is among the highest burdens on society. We urgently need novel methodologies in polymer science and materials engineering to address the societal threat of polymer waste. We need polymers that can be recycled on molecular level, recycled based on triggered material decomposition to minimize energy and labor input, and recycled from within complex waste mixtures. In our preliminary work, we identified a class of polymers that offers exactly these opportunities, and we now wish to develop our early findings into a fully validated platform. Key value proposition of this grant proposal is that the above opportunities are available and associated with polydisulfide polymers (PDS) that are based on natural products and that undergo decomposition via end-to-end chain decomposition. From proof of concept provided by our preliminary data, we wish to develop recyclable materials, adhesives, sealants, and hydrogels and demonstrate their utility in science and industry, specifically focusing on reusing and recycling aspects.