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Light-Driven Polymer Recycling to Monomers and Small Molecules
Summary
Researchers developed and reviewed light-driven photochemical methods for recycling polymers back into monomers and small molecules, presenting an energy-efficient alternative to high-temperature pyrolysis and other chemical recycling approaches. The study shows that photocatalytic depolymerization can achieve selective bond cleavage at lower energy inputs, advancing the viability of circular polymer chemistry.
Only a small proportion of global plastic waste is recycled, of which most is mechanically recycled into lower quality materials. The alternative, chemical recycling, enables renewed production of pristine materials, but generally comes at a high energy cost, particularly for processes like pyrolysis. This review focuses on light-driven approaches for chemically recycling and upcycling plastic waste, with emphasis on reduced energy consumption and selective transformations not achievable with heat-driven methods. We focus on challenging to recycle backbone structures, mainly C‒C, which lack functional groups i.e. esters or amides, that facilitate chemical recycling e.g. by solvolysis. We discuss the use of light, either in conjunction with heat to drive depolymerization to monomers or via photocatalysis to transform polymers into valuable small molecules. The structural prerequisites for these approaches are outlined, highlighting their advantages as well as limitations. We conclude with an outlook, addressing key challenges, opportunities, and provide guidelines for future photocatalyst development.