ACS Editors: Innovation through Materials
[1L4-8]
Chemical Recycling of Polymers through Homogeneous Catalysis
발표자홍순혁 (한국과학기술원)
연구책임자홍순혁 (한국과학기술원)
Abstract
A circular polymer economy demands both recyclable-by-design materials and upcycling of legacy waste. We show how homogeneous catalysis enables precise, thermodynamically guided transformations to advance both goals. Strain-engineered cyclohexene-derived monomers containing fused heterocycles undergo efficient ROMP, yielding functional polymers that retain robust service properties yet can be depolymerized on demand to regenerate monomers. In parallel, an isomerization–metathesis (ISOMET) platform converts cross-linked waste-tire rubbers into value-added cyclic alkenes and chemical feedstocks. Together, these examples highlight catalyst design principles to improve selectivity and efficiency and help close the polymer lifecycle.