Chemical degradation of oxygenated polymers: the case of polyethers and polysiloxanes

Abstract

Plastics have become ubiquitous and indispensable in our daily lives since their invention at the beginning of the 20th century. As a result, millions of tonnes of plastic waste are produced every year and efforts to reduce their environmental impact are increasing. Most of the efforts have logically been devoted to tackling the plastic wastes with the highest volume, namely polyolefins and polyesters, as is reflected in the scientific and patent literature. In this review we have focused on a less studied class of polymer wastes, polyethers and polysiloxanes, both consisting of monomeric units linked by oxygen atoms. The most representative examples of chemical degradation of these materials at laboratory and industrial scales are presented and their reaction mechanisms are discussed.