Catalyst-Free Bulk Depolymerization of Polymethacrylates Prepared by ATRP.
- 1Laboratory of Sustainable Polymers, Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093Zurich, Switzerland.
Abstract
Low-temperature depolymerization of ATRP polymers has been successfully demonstrated both in bulk and solution. However, all reported examples necessitate a metal catalyst for chain-end activation, require extensive modifications and transformations prior to depolymerization, or use specialized initiators. Herein, a catalyst-free bulk depolymerization method for poly(O-aryl methacrylates) is realized, whereby the elimination of lactonization lowers the temperature by more than 100 °C and enables up to 92% depolymerization efficiency at temperatures as low as 230 °C. Key to the approach is the in-situ thermal transformation of halogen chain-ends into macromonomer, resulting in monomer yields comparable to those obtained in the presence of a catalyst. The method can be expanded from various poly(O-aryl methacrylates) to conventional polymethacrylates, for example, poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(benzyl methacrylate), after a short block addition of an O-aryl methacrylate. This work provides a straightforward, high-yielding, catalyst-free bulk method for chemical recycling and offers mechanistic insights into the thermal stability and depolymerization of ATRP polymers.
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BibTeX
@article{pozzi2026catalystfree,
title = {{Catalyst-Free Bulk Depolymerization of Polymethacrylates Prepared by ATRP.}},
author = {Brendan Pozzi and Stella Afroditi Mountaki and Richard Whitfield and Athina Anastasaki},
journal = {ACS macro letters},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1021/acsmacrolett.6c00380},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42899722},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Catalyst-Free Bulk Depolymerization of Polymethacrylates Prepared by ATRP.
AU - Brendan Pozzi
AU - Stella Afroditi Mountaki
AU - Richard Whitfield
AU - Athina Anastasaki
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - ACS macro letters
DO - 10.1021/acsmacrolett.6c00380
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42899722
AB - Low-temperature depolymerization of ATRP polymers has been successfully demonstrated both in bulk and solution. However, all reported examples necessitate a metal catalyst for chain-end activation, require extensive modifications and transformations prior to depolymerization, or use specialized initiators. Herein, a catalyst-free bulk depolymerization method for poly(O-aryl methacrylates) is realized, whereby the elimination of lactonization lowers the temperature by more than 100 °C and enables up to 92% depolymerization efficiency at temperatures as low as 230 °C. Key to the approach is the in-situ thermal transformation of halogen chain-ends into macromonomer, resulting in monomer yields comparable to those obtained in the presence of a catalyst. The method can be expanded from various poly(O-aryl methacrylates) to conventional polymethacrylates, for example, poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(benzyl methacrylate), after a short block addition of an O-aryl methacrylate. This work provides a straightforward, high-yielding, catalyst-free bulk method for chemical recycling and offers mechanistic insights into the thermal stability and depolymerization of ATRP polymers.
SN - 2161-1653
ER -