Construction and deconstruction: recent advances in degradable silicon-based polymers

Abstract

This review article presents recent advances in the design, synthesis, degradation, and recycling of degradable silicon-based polymers, with a focus on poly(silyl ether)s, and poly(silyl ester)s. These materials offer a promising route toward sustainable polymer technologies by integrating labile Si–O–C and Si–O–C(O) linkages into polymer backbones, enabling controlled degradation without compromising performance. This article details synthetic strategies including step-growth and chain-growth polymerizations, explores degradation mechanisms under various chemical conditions, and highlights emerging catalytic systems, ranging from noble metals to earth-abundant and metal-free catalysts. Challenges and future directions for integrating degradability with high-performance properties are also discussed.