POS9-0170
Overcoming Impurity-Induced Molar Mass Limitations in Styrenic Liquids Derived from Polystyrene Depolymerization through a Branching Strategy
When and Where
Nov 30, -0001
12:00am - 12:00am
Presenter(s)
Yujin Ha (Inha university)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Styrenic liquids (SL) obtained from polystyrene (PS) depolymerization contain styrene together with residual solvents and various impurities. In particular, oligomeric impurities such as dimers and trimers act as chain-transfer agents during re-polymerization, leading to polymers with low molar mass and poor mechanical performance. To address this limitation, we developed a branching strategy aimed at increasing the weight-average molar mass (Mw). Building on previous findings, branched PS was synthesized through the stepwise addition of an initiator and divinylbenzene (DVB), which maintained low instantaneous concentrations of both species throughout the reaction. This strategy enabled high monomer conversion while minimizing gelation, even in the presence of impurities. As a result, the branched PS exhibited superior mechanical properties compared with its linear counterpart. These findings demonstrate an effective route toward the practical polymerization of SLs and provide a promising solution for impurity-related limitations in conventional re-polymerization systems.
