Investigating the Role of Polymer Architecture in Poly(methyl methacrylate) Depolymerization

Mann, Lauren E. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)]; Lott, Megan E. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)] (ORCID:0000000198546252); Golde, Griffin R. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)]; Carter, Zane J. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)]; Moran, Grady P. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)]; Maity, Tanmoy [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)]; Stevens, Kaden C. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)]; Sumerlin, Brent S. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)]

doi:10.1021/acsmacrolett.6c00224

DOE OSTI · 3600521

Investigating the Role of Polymer Architecture in Poly(methyl methacrylate) Depolymerization

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Abstract

Advanced architectures in polymers have garnered traction within the last two decades due to their distinct and tunable properties compared to linear analogs. However, the effects of architecture on nascent polymethacrylate depolymerization strategies remain underexplored. Herein, we investigate the depolymerization behavior of poly(methacrylate)-based star copolymers synthesized via a core-first approach. By incorporating either labile chain-end or pendent-group triggers, we demonstrate the first direct comparison of bulk depolymerization behaviors in star versus linear methacrylate copolymers under matched conditions. While pendent-triggered systems required higher loadings of N-(methacryloxy)phthalimide methacrylate (PhthMA) to achieve similar mass loss compared to linear copolymers, chain-end-initiated depolymerization showed enhanced efficiency of monomer liberation in the star topology. Furthermore, these findings highlight the importance of considering macromolecular architecture in designing sustainable polymers and provide actionable guidelines for installing depolymerization triggers based on polymer topology.

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Mann, Lauren E. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)], Lott, Megan E. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)] (ORCID:0000000198546252), Golde, Griffin R. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)], Carter, Zane J. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)], Moran, Grady P. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)], Maity, Tanmoy [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)], Stevens, Kaden C. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)], Sumerlin, Brent S. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)]. 2026-06-18. Investigating the Role of Polymer Architecture in Poly(methyl methacrylate) Depolymerization. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.6c00224

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