writer：Lu, B.; Takahashi, K.; Zhou, J.; Nakagawa, S.; Yamamoto, Y.; Katashima, T.; Yoshie, N.; Nozaki, K.*
keywords：Catalytic Degradation, Polyethylene, Carboxylic Acid Groups
source：期刊
specific source：J. Am. Chem. Soc.
Issue time：2024年

Crystalline polyethylenes bearing carboxylic acid groups in the main chain were successfully degraded with a Ce catalyst and visible light. The reaction proceeds in a crystalline solid state without swelling in acetonitrile or water at a reaction temperature as low as 60 or 80 °C, employing dioxygen in air as the only stoichiometric reactant with nearly quantitative recovery of carbon atoms. Heterogeneous features of the reaction allowed us to reveal a dynamic morphological change of polymer crystals during the degradation.