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Design of Chemically Recyclable Polymers in Sustainable Chemistry: A Minimalist Perspective

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 2407

Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Materials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 12, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Interests: sustainable polymers; bioplastics; chemically recyclable polymers; proteins; colloids; nanoparticles

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Guest Editor
Institute of Materials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 12, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Interests: sustainable polymers; dynamic covalent networks; chemical recycling; bioplastics

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Guest Editor Assistant
School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China
Interests: dynamic polymers; polyimines; sustainable chemistry; self-healing; chemical recycling; dynamic covalent bonds

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The transition toward a circular polymer economy demands innovative materials that combine high performance with genuine sustainability. Chemically recyclable polymers have emerged as a transformative class of materials, enabling chemical recycling back to their original monomers or even to value-added products, which offers a viable pathway for revitalizing plastic waste. While many reported studies have pursued elaborate synthetic routes to design recyclable polymers—efforts that are highly recognized for their ingenuity and value—of equal importance are the synthetic strategies that emphasize simplicity and sustainability. The guiding principle includes minimizing or eliminating the use of catalysts and organic solvents, reducing synthesis steps, and lowering overall energy input, which we refer to as “Minimalist Sustainable Design.”

This Special Issue, “Design of Chemically Recyclable Polymers in Sustainable Chemistry: A Minimalist Perspective,” invites submissions that advance the field of recyclable polymers, with a particular emphasis on research grounded in minimalist design principles.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: 

(1) innovative monomer and polymer designs, (2) bio-based monomers and polymers as sustainable feedstocks, (3) green synthesis and processing methods, (4) resource-, time-, energy-efficient depolymerization and recycling techniques, (5) structure-property relationship and application investigations, (6) high-performance and functional composites and their applications, and (7) other related research that embodies minimalist and sustainable principles in the synthesis, processing, and recycling of recyclable polymers.

Prof. Dr. Francesco Stellacci
Dr. Youwei Ma
Guest Editors

Dr. Ping Yu
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • chemically recyclable polymers
  • sustainable polymers
  • biomass-based polymers
  • dynamic (covalent) bonds
  • minimalist sustainable design

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 8121 KB  
Article
Efficient PET Glycolysis with Suppressed Diethylene Glycol Formation and Beneficial Residue Effects Using an Organic Phosphonate Catalyst
by Xin-Yu Hao, Xing Cao and Yan-Peng Ni
Molecules 2026, 31(12), 2160; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31122160 - 19 Jun 2026
Viewed by 616
Abstract
Glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) offers a promising route for chemical recycling, yet conventional homogeneous catalysts often suffer from low selectivity, severe side reactions (especially diethylene glycol, DEG formation), and detrimental metal residues that compromise the quality of recycled products. To address these [...] Read more.
Glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) offers a promising route for chemical recycling, yet conventional homogeneous catalysts often suffer from low selectivity, severe side reactions (especially diethylene glycol, DEG formation), and detrimental metal residues that compromise the quality of recycled products. To address these challenges, we herein develop dipotassium phenylphosphonate (PPOA-K) as an efficient homogeneous catalyst for PET glycolysis. Under optimized conditions (1 wt% catalyst, 197 °C, EG/PET mass ratio 3:1, 90 min, atmospheric pressure), PPOA-K achieves 100% PET depolymerization and a high BHET yield of 86.0%, and the reaction follows apparent first-order kinetics with an activation energy of 70.3 kJ·mol−1. Beyond its high catalytic activity, PPOA-K effectively suppresses the acid-catalyzed etherification of ethylene glycol to DEG, a common side reaction that reduces monomer purity and degrades recycled polyester properties. Remarkably, the trace amount of PPOA-K remaining in the recovered BHET (17.3 ppm) is not detrimental; instead, it continues to inhibit DEG formation during repolymerization and acts as a thermal stabilizer, improving the melting point and thermal stability of recycled PET. The advantages of PPOA-K are further demonstrated in a partial (in situ) glycolysis–repolymerization process, where it reduces the DEG content in the final rPET to 1.78% (vs. 2.25% for conventional Zn(OAc)2), yielding rPET with a higher melting point, higher crystallinity, and better color. This work demonstrates that dipotassium phenylphosphonate uniquely combines high catalytic activity, side reaction suppression, and beneficial residue effects, offering a new catalyst design strategy for high-quality PET recycling. Full article
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Review

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29 pages, 2023 KB  
Review
Unlocking the Potential of Macroalgae: Innovative Pretreatment Strategies for Efficient Biorefinery
by Xiucheng Gu and Ying Zhou
Molecules 2026, 31(5), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31050909 - 9 Mar 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1131
Abstract
Macroalgae represent a promising third-generation feedstock for biorefinery due to their high biomass productivity and non-reliance on arable land. However, their complex cell wall structure poses a significant barrier to efficient bioconversion. This review integrates current pretreatment methods, including physical, chemical, biological, and [...] Read more.
Macroalgae represent a promising third-generation feedstock for biorefinery due to their high biomass productivity and non-reliance on arable land. However, their complex cell wall structure poses a significant barrier to efficient bioconversion. This review integrates current pretreatment methods, including physical, chemical, biological, and combined approaches, with a focus on their mechanisms, effectiveness, and limitations. Furthermore, it explores the conversion of pretreated macroalgal biomass into bioenergy and biochemicals, such as bioethanol, organic acid and polyhydroxyalkanoate, via microbial fermentation. The review also examines the application of genetic editing tools (e.g., CRISPR-Cas systems) for the targeted modification of macroalgae to improve their inherent characteristics for biorefinery, such as reducing biomass recalcitrance or increasing the content of target carbohydrates. Finally, future perspectives on technological innovations and integrated industrial chains of macroalgal biorefinery are discussed. This review serves as a systematic reference for deepening the understanding of macroalgal cell wall deconstruction processes and supports the development of efficient and environmentally benign pretreatment strategies to advance macroalgal biorefinery toward industrialization. Full article
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