Catalysis as an Enabling Science for Sustainable Polymers

The replacement of current petroleum-based plastics with sustainable alternatives is a crucial but formidable challenge for the modern society. Catalysis presents an enabling tool to facilitate the development of sustainable polymers. This review provides a system-level analysis of sustainable polymers and outlines key criteria with respect to the feedstocks the polymers are derived from, the manner in which the polymers are generated, and the end-of-use options. Specifically, we define sustainable polymers as a class of materials that are derived from renewable feedstocks and exhibit closed-loop life cycles. Among potential candidates, aliphatic polyesters and polycarbonates are promising materials due to…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: CHE-1607092, 1607092
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: DE SC0005430, DE-SC0005430
• JD
  John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
• SU
  Stanford University
• LF
  LAM Foundation
• DO
  Division of Chemistry

  Awards: 1607092, CHE-1607092