The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Significant advances have been made in particulate filtration technologies; however, achieving both strong particle capture and sustainability remains a major challenge. Many existing filtration coatings rely on permanent adhesion mechanisms, limiting regenerability or requiring harsh post-treatment processes. Here, we introduce poly(β-amino ester)-based covalent adaptable networks as reprocessable filtration coatings designed for room-temperature operation with on-demand thermal activation. Brief thermal treatment softens the dynamic polymer network, enabling partial embedding of captured particles into the coating and inducing thermally driven surface reconstruction that renews particulate capture sites, thereby enhancing coating stability and sustained filtration performance without irreversible fouling. Moreover, the coated filters demonstrate end-of-life sustainability through complete degradation via simple soil burial, without additional chemical or thermal treatment.