Literature Seminar

The well-known plastic waste dilemma is largely contributed to by the inability to recycle thermoset polymers. Though these permanent polymer networks exhibit robust material properties such as strong chemical and thermal resistance, the shortcomings are their recyclability. Unlike non-permanent polymer networks, permanent networks cannot be recycled into products of any value. Efforts to develop degradable, and recyclable thermosets have typically been focused on dynamic covalent bonds which allow recycling of a thermoset upon an external stimulus, thermomechanical degradation which enables recycling/degradability, or completely new degradable polymer versions of existing thermoset polymers. Here a complimentary approach towards the development of degradable, recyclable thermoset polymers will be shown. Leveraging a theoretical framework and an industrially ready model system, cleavable comonomers are strategically installed to yield mild, chemically triggered degradable thermosets. The development of a new method in achieving degradability along with an evaluation of the cleavable thermoset material properties will be discussed.

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