biostudies-literatureJones GREuropean Research Council35023-35028https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11673573biostudies-literatureUnknown146(51)Chemical recycling of polymers synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) typically requires high temperatures (i.e., 170 °C) to operate effectively, not only consuming unnecessary energy but also compromising depolymerization yields due to unavoidable end-group deterioration. To overcome this, the concept of initiators for continuous activator regeneration (ICAR) depolymerization is introduced herein as a broadly applicable approach to significantly reduce reaction temperatures for ATRP depolymerizations. Addition of commercially available free radical initiators enables the on-demand increase of depolymerization efficiency from <1% to 96%, achieving monomer generation at 120 °C, with conversions on par with thermal reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) dJournal of the American Chemical SocietyInitiators for Continuous Activator Regeneration (ICAR) Depolymerization.PMC11673573949219Antonopoulou MNAnastasaki AJones GRTruong NPfalseInitiators for Continuous Activator Regeneration (ICAR) Depolymerization.Chemical recycling of polymers synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) typically requires high temperatures (i.e., 170 °C) to operate effectively, not only consuming unnecessary energy but also compromising depolymerization yields due to unavoidable end-group deterioration. To overcome this, the concept of initiators for continuous activator regeneration (ICAR) depolymerization is introduced herein as a broadly applicable approach to significantly reduce reaction temperatures for ATRP depolymerizations. Addition of commercially available free radical initiators enables the on-demand increase of depolymerization efficiency from <1% to 96%, achieving monomer generation at 120 °C, with conversions on par with thermal reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) d2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Dec2025-04-18T22:00:35.742Z2025-04-07T09:56:26.107ZS-EPMC116735733966379710.1021/jacs.4c13785