Cited by 100Polymer crystallization and propertiesbiodegradable polymer synthesis and propertiesPolymer composites and self-healing

Tailoring Hydrocarbon Polymers and All‐Hydrocarbon Composites for Circular Economy

Hees, Timo, Zhong, Fan, Stürzel, Markus, Mülhaupt, Rolf·2019·Macromolecular Rapid Communications

Abstract

The world population will rapidly grow from 7 to 9 billion by 2050 and this will parallel a surging annual plastics consumption from today's 350 million tons to well beyond 1 billion tons. The switch from a linear economy with its throwaway culture to a circular economy with efficient reuse of waste plastics is therefore mandatory. Hydrocarbon polymers, accounting for more than half the world's plastics production, enable closed‐loop recycling and effective product‐stewardship systems. High‐molar‐mass hydrocarbons serve as highly versatile, cost‐, resource‐, eco‐ and energy‐efficient, durable lightweight materials produced by solvent‐free, environmentally benign catalytic olefin polymerization. Nanophase separation and alignment of unentangled hydrocarbon polymers afford 100% recyclable self‐reinforcing all‐hydrocarbon composites without requiring the addition of either alien fibers or hazardous nanoparticles. Recycling of durable hydrocarbons is far superior to biodegradation. The facile thermal degradation enables liquefaction and quantitative recovery of low molar mass hydrocarbon oil and gas. Teamed up with biomass‐to‐liquid and carbon dioxide‐to‐fuel conversions, powered by renewable energy, waste hydrocarbons serve as renewable hydrocarbon feedstocks for the synthesis of high molar mass hydrocarbon materials. Herein, an overview is given on how innovations in catalyst and process technology enable tailoring of advanced recyclable hydrocarbon materials meeting the needs of sustainable development and a circular economy.

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Crossref · 10.1002/marc.201800608

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206 of 206 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Authors
Hees, T., Zhong, F., Stürzel, M., & Mülhaupt, R.
Affiliations
University of Freiburg (DE)
Corresponding author
Mülhaupt, Rolf
Venue
Macromolecular Rapid Communications
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2018-11-12
Volume
40
Issue
1
Pages
e1800608-e1800608
ISSN
  • 1022-1336 (ISSN-L)
  • 1521-3927
OpenAlex
W2900882724
Cited by
100
References
206
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 8
FWCI
0.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Macromolecular Rapid Communications (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • FreiDok plus (Universitätsbibliothek Freiburg) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (03XP0054C)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Polymer crystallization and properties
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Polymer composites and self-healing
Keywords
hydrocarbon polymers, circular economy, waste plastic recycling, closed-loop recycling, nanophase separation, thermal degradation, biomass-to-liquids, polymer catalysts
MeSH terms
Hydrocarbons, Polymers

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