Achieving Exceptional Thermal and Hydrolytic Resistance in Chemically Circular Polyesters via In-Chain 1,3-Cyclobutyl Rings

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2024 Apr 8:e202401682. doi: 10.1002/anie.202401682. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTPolyesters, a highly promising class of circular polymers for achieving a closed-loop sustainable plastic economy, inherently exhibit material stability defects, especially in thermal and hydrolytic instability. Here, we introduce a class of polyesters, P(4R-BL) (R = Ph, Bu), featuring conformationally rigid 1,3-cyclobutyl rings in the backbone. These polyesters not only exhibit superior thermostability (Td,5% = 376-380 °C) but also demonstrate exceptional hydrolytic resistance with good integrity even after 1 year in basic and acidic aqueous solutions, distinguishing themselves from typical counterparts. Tailoring the flexibility of the side group R enables the controlled thermal and mechanical performance of P(4Ph-BL) and P(4Bu-BL) to rival durable syndiotactic polystyrene (SPS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), respectively. Significantly, despite their high stability, both polyesters can be effectively depolymerized into pristine monomers, establishing a circular life cycle.PMID:38587230 | DOI:10.1002/anie.202401682

Source: Angewandte Chemie - April 8, 2024 Category: Chemistry Authors: Chaoqun Weng Zhiqiang Ding Weijie Qiu Bin Wang Xiaoyan Tang Source Type: research