Ionic-Liquid-Mediated Deconstruction of Polymers for Advanced Recycling and Upcycling
Date
2023-08-15
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ACS Macro Letters
Abstract
Ionic liquids (ILs) are a promising medium to assist in the advanced (chemical and biological) recycling of polymers, owing to their tunable catalytic activity, tailorable chemical functionality, low vapor pressures, and thermal stability. These unique physicochemical properties, combined with ILs’ capacity to solubilize plastics waste and biopolymers, offer routes to deconstruct polymers at reduced temperatures (and lower energy inputs) versus conventional bulk and solvent-based methods, while also minimizing unwanted side reactions. In this Viewpoint, we discuss the use of ILs as catalysts and mediators in advanced recycling, with an emphasis on chemical recycling, by examining the interplay between IL chemistry and deconstruction thermodynamics, deconstruction kinetics, IL recovery, and product recovery. We also consider several potential environmental benefits and concerns associated with employing ILs for advanced recycling over bulk- or solvent-mediated deconstruction techniques, such as reduced chemical escape by volatilization, decreased energy demands, toxicity, and environmental persistence. By analyzing IL-mediated polymer deconstruction across a breadth of macromolecular systems, we identify recent innovations, current challenges, and future opportunities in IL application toward circular polymer economies.
Description
This article was originally published in ACS Macro Letters. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00276. Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.
Keywords
biopolymers, plastics, polymers, recycling, solvents
Citation
Christoff-Tempesta, Ty, and Thomas H. III Epps. “Ionic-Liquid-Mediated Deconstruction of Polymers for Advanced Recycling and Upcycling.” ACS Macro Letters 12, no. 8 (August 15, 2023): 1058–70. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00276.