Low temperature thermal RAFT depolymerization: the effect of Z-group substituents on molecular weight control and yield.

ABSTRACT: The labile end-groups inherent to many controlled radical polymerization methodologies, including atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization, can trigger the efficient chemical recycling of polymethacrylates yielding high percentages of pristine monomer. Yet, current thermal solution ATRP and RAFT depolymerization strategies require relatively high temperatures (i.e. 120-170 °C) to proceed, with slower depolymerization rates, and moderate yields often reported under milder reaction conditions (i.e. lower temperatures). In this work, we seek to promote the low temperature RAFT depolymerization of polymethacrylates via regulating the Z-group substitution of dithiobenzoate. While electron-withdraw

SUBMITTER: De Alwis Watuthanthrige N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11774200 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature