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Chemical recycling of cleavable thermoset polymers: Selective network deconstruction and prospects for monomer recovery
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DOI：10.1016/j.mtcomm.2026.115580.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Thermoset polymers are widely used in high-performance applications but remain difficult to recycle due to their permanently cross-linked network structures. Chemical recycling has therefore emerged as a key strategy for enabling thermoset circularity, particularly through the incorporation of cleavable covalent bonds. This review conceptually examines thermoset depolymerization from a chemistry-focused perspective, linking network structure, bond energetics, and reactivity to degradation behavior under solvolytic, catalytic, and emerging reductive or solvent-mediated processes. A key finding is that thermoset deconstruction is dominated by coupled reaction–transport limitations, which often lead to incomplete depolymerization and favor oligomer-rich products rather than selective monomer recovery. Reported systems commonly achieve partial network breakdown under relatively mild conditions (typically below ca. 150–250 ºC), but efficient monomer recovery remains limited and is often accompanied by significant selectivity loss. Recent advances in deconstructable thermosets are highlighted, particularly strategies that embed chemical “triggers” for backbone cleavage to improve network breakdown efficiency. Essentially, the analysis shows that achieving true circularity requires moving beyond process optimization toward molecular design principles that encode selective depolymerization directly into the polymer network.
Keywords:
Thermosets
Chemical recycling
Selective depolymerization
Reaction–transport coupling
Selectivity loss
Oligomer formation
Monomer recovery
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4.5
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1.5W
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3.7W
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