Depolymerization and Functionalization of Super Engineering Plastics

Chemical recycling/upcycling of plastics has emerged as one of the most promising strategies for the plastic circular economy, enabling the depolymerization and functionalization of plastics into valuable monomers and chemicals. However, studies on the depolymerization and functionalization of challenging super engineering plastics have remained in early stage and underexplored. In this review, we would like to discuss the representative accomplishments and mechanism insights on chemical protocols achieved in depolymerization of super engineering plastics, especially for poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS), poly(aryl ether)s including poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), polysulfone (PSU), polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) and polyethersulfone (PES). We anticipate that this review will provide an overall perspective on the current status and future trends of this emerging field.