The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Depolymerization of vinyl polymers typically requires harsh conditions and high energy input. Therefore, developing depolymerization methods under mild and environmentally friendly conditions has become a key research direction toward sustainable plastic utilization. From a thermodynamic perspective, polymers with bulky substituents are often in a more strained and less stable state due to steric hindrance, which can promote depolymerization. Building upon this concept, we investigate the use of fluoroalcohols that form strong hydrogen bonds with the carbonyl groups of PMMA repeating units. By mimicking bulky substituents through these interactions, we increase the entropic contribution to depolymerization, thereby enhancing its thermodynamic favorability and lowering the ceiling temperature. Furthermore, NMR analysis was employed to investigate the hydrogen bonding interactions between fluoroalcohols and PMMA or MMA, revealing structure-dependent binding affinities.