Chemically Recyclable Polymers: Tunable Performance Enabled by Precision Ring-Opening (Co)polymerization

Abstract

Chemical recycling to monomers (CRM) stands as a cornerstone for a circular plastics economy by enabling the closed-loop regeneration of high-purity monomers from waste polymers without compromising material properties. However, the key challenge lies in how to reconcile robust performance with efficient depolymerization under mild conditions. This perspective highlights that precise ring-opening (co)polymerization (PROP), enabled by advanced catalytic strategies to exert exacting control over polymer chain architecture, represents a powerful and promising approach. We systematically illustrate how PROP facilitates the rational design of polymers by tailoring molecular parameters such as molecular weight/dispersity, stereoregularity, and copolymer sequence. This structural precision governs key aggregation state characteristics, including crystallinity, chain packing, and conformational behavior, etc., thereby directly modulating macroscopic material properties and enabling designed recyclability. By summarizing recent PROP-driven advancements, we present a bottom-up synthetic strategy that links polymer microstructure and macroscopic properties. Finally, we outline remaining challenges and future research directions, underscoring the importance of next-generation catalytic systems and rigorous life-cycle assessments to translate these approaches from the laboratory to industrial scale.