Author
Yota Chiba, Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University
Yasuhiro Kohsaka, Research Initiative for Supra-Materials, Shinshu University; Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University; JST PRESTO
Keywords
sustainable society, chemically recyclable vinyl polymer, cyclic vinyl monomer, hydrolysis
Abstract
Chemical recycling of polymers to their monomers or precursors is a promising approach toward a sustainable society, although that of vinyl polymers remains challenging because of the chemically stable carbon main-chains. Herein, a new strategy for chemical recycling of vinyl polymers is proposed. The newly designed vinyl polymers underwent degradation into monomer precursors via the hydrolysis of their cyclic pendant groups. The degradation is irreversible and differs from the conventional approach to chemical recycling based on equilibrium control between the polymerization and depolymerization reverse reaction of polymerization.