Recent progress in the green synthesis, modification, and high-end applications of sulfone polymers (2015–2026)

Solid-State Chemical Recycling of Anhydride-Based Polymers: From Linear Copolyesters to Cross-Linked Epoxy Networks

Chemical recycling of polymers to the parent monomers (CRM) represents a cornerstone strategy for establishing a sustainable circular plastic economy. Polyesters prepared by ring-opening copolymerization of epoxides with cyclic anhydrides feature highly tunable properties and represent promising alternatives to petro...

Gold-Catalyzed Upcycling of Aromatic Thermoplastics

Aromatic polymers are foundational to modern technologies; yet, their robust chemical and physical properties make them notoriously difficult to chemically modify, limiting their sustainable utilization and the development of emerging plastics technologies. Here, we introduce a postpolymerization modification strateg...

Harnessing Composition and Sequence in Carbonylative Polymerization of Olefin for Tailored Material Properties

Commercial polyolefin plastics are indispensable to modern society; however, their chemical inertness renders them environmentally persistent, thereby contributing to severe plastic pollution and ecological challenges. Accordingly, the development of commercially viable degradable materials with performance comparabl...

A General and Sustainable Strategy for the Depolymerization of Carbamates, Ureas, and Polyurethanes to Specialty Chemicals Enabled by Nickel.

Plastics have numerous applications in industrial and household purposes. Thus, their annual production is increasing, thereby generating enormous end-of-life waste. Very often, these polymeric wastes are typically buried underground or discharged into the ocean and is alarming. Notably, recycling rates of such polymer...

A Comparative Study of Polymethacrylates Featuring Discrete Oligo(ethylene sulfide), Oligo(ethylene sulfoxide), and Oligo(ethylene sulfone) as Side Chains for Antifouling Applications

Thioethers can be oxidized to sulfoxides and sulfones, and such transformation enables facile access to side chains with different extents of oxidation for creating multifunctional sulfur-containing polymers. Herein, a series of discrete oligo(ethylene sulfide)-derived monomers and their corresponding oxidized monome...

Divanillin as a Building Block for Sustainable Polymer Synthesis by Metal-Free Aldol Polycondensation