In this interview, the latest achievements in the depolymerization and functionalization of super engineering plastics into valuable monomers were summarized, especially for PPS, sulfone-containing poly(arylene ether)s, and PEEK. The designs and developments of innovative and more sustainable strategies for the depolymerization of super engineering plastics are highly desirable.

This review summarizes recent advances in endowing vinyl polymers with degradability, aiming to reduce their environmental impact and enhance their application in bio-relevant areas.

Imine-based copolymers was synthesized through the copolymerization of cyclooctene with cyclic imine comonomer via ROMP, which were degraded into amine capped telechelic polymer. And this telechelic polymer could also be used for the further synthesis of new polymer after post-transformation process.

We designed and synthesized phenylimino-pyridine-phenolate zinc complexes for efficient polylactide synthesis. The activity of preferred catalyst is comparable to those of commercial stannous octanoate and can be used in the direct depolymerization of PLA to recover L-LA monomer.

A new monomer of thiosalicylic methyl glycolide was synthesized using a one-pot method, and high-molecular-weight poly(thiosalicylic methyl glycolide) (Mn up to 300 kDa) was obtained via the ring-opening polymerization of TSMG. PTSMG exhibits good closed-loop recyclability and hydrolytic degradability, which provide a potential solution to the current plastic pollution problem.

In this paper, a degradable and recyclable PPDO-PLLA-PU copolymer was synthesized. The improved mechanical properties of the PPDO-PLLA-PU compared to PPDO-PU are associated with the rod-like distribution of PLLA phase and the crystallization of PPDO spherulites at the PLLA phase interface.

In this study, three-carbon chiral centers were simultaneously installed in the aliphatic polyester backbone by asymmetric copolymerization of CHO with chiral MSA. The different combinations of stereochemistry in two building blocks impact the thermal properties and crystalline behaviors of the resulting polyesters considerably, and the identical configuration combination displays two Tm values of 109 and 130 °C, whereas the opposite one only exhibits a T_g value of 55 °C.

Mechanochemical backbone editing converts side-chain ester units in polyethylene materials to in-chain ester units. Copolymers are first synthesized via ethylene/CBL copolymerization, followed by ball-milling-induced cycloreversion, enabling access to degradable polyethylene materials with in-chain ester units.

We develop a platform for the versatile modified of polyesters. The synthesis of polyesters was achieved through the copolymerization of brominated cyclic anhydrides with epoxides, and the modified reaction conditions were explored for various functional groups. This demonstrates the significant application potential of the polyester functionalization platform.

Ring-closing-opening copolymerization of o-phthalaldehyde and epoxide occurs with organic Lewis pair catalysts, yielding polyacetals that are susceptible to acid degradation. Use of triethylborane reduces boronic ester formation, thus enhancing reaction control. Acetal-functionalized polyethers are produced when epoxide is used in large excess, and further transformed into acid-degradable polyurethane.

A benzo-fusion strategy was implemented to ε-thiocaprolactone, fulfilling three robust benzo-fused thiolactones. Efficient and well-controlled ring-opening polymerization of these benzo-fused monomers delivered semi-aromatic polythioesters with excellent chemical recyclability and tunable material performance, which represent promising candidates for the next generation of high-performance recyclable materials.

Table of Contents: A homogeneous hydrolysis method has been developed for the efficient hydrolysis of PLA at room temperature, facilitating the recycling of self-precipitated calcium lactate and establishing a closed-loop system among "calcium lactate ⇌ PLA".

In this study, two asymmetric non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs), Y-CN-2F and Y-CN-2Cl, were designed and synthesized by replacing one of the two branched alkyl chains in normal Y-type NFAs with a linear alkyl chain terminated with a mesogenic unit, 4-cyanobiphneyl, and their physical properties and optoelectronic characteristics were investigated.

Schematic illustration of the formation of thermally induced interfacial films from silk fibroin nanofibrils (SNF). From silk fibers to microfibril dispersions, films form under thermal evaporation, driven by the Marangoni effect and local concentration. The films exhibited a layered structure, self-supporting properties, and transparency, enabling functional coatings, including fluorescent anti-counterfeiting applications.

Active pillar arrays are fabricated using solvent-free liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) resins with tunable nematic-isotropic phase transition temperature (T_i). The LCE pillar arrays exhibit not only multiple deformation modes but also temperature-dependent sequential actuation. LCE pillar structures with different T_i are integrated for information encryption, providing multi-level information protection.

A cyclotetrasiloxane-based hybrid superhydrophobic coating was prepared by a simple thiol-ene click reaction and dip-coating method using the cotton fabric as substrate. The resulting coating formed strong chemical bonds with the fabric resulting in good stability. In addition, the modified fabric exhibited excellent self-cleaning and oil-water separation capabilities.

We synthesized linear melanin-like polymers via mechanochemical Suzuki polymerization. Compared to PDA NPs, its antioxidant capacity has been significantly enhanced. Additionally, we prepared a melanin-like alternating copolymer using this method. It exhibited a fluorescence emission wavelength that could reach up to 510 nm with a QY of 8.94%.

By immersing the initiator on the material surface and enabling the concurrent polymerization reaction of AA and SBMA on the surface under ultraviolet initiation, followed by Q8C in the same manner, a coating with a stratified structure that exhibits persistent lubrication and antibacterial properties is obtained.

We demonstrate that block copolymers (BCPs) incorporating shape-anisotropic rod-like side chains can self-assemble into a hexagonally packed columnar phase with low-symmetric rectangular cross-sections using dissipative particle dynamics simulations. This structure exhibits a complete photonic band gap. Our findings offer an effective strategy for low-symmetric photonic crystals.