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Alkylidene functionalization produces highly recyclable and scalable polyhydroxyalkanoates.

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Title: Alkylidene functionalization produces highly recyclable and scalable polyhydroxyalkanoates.
Authors: Zhou, Li (AUTHOR), May, James H. (AUTHOR), Gowda, Ravikumar R. (AUTHOR), Hamernik, Levi J. (AUTHOR), Kenny, Jacob K. (AUTHOR), Wang, Lili (AUTHOR), Stubbs, Christopher D. (AUTHOR), Quinn, Ethan C. (AUTHOR), DesVeaux, Jason S. (AUTHOR), Knauer, Katrina M. (AUTHOR), Beckham, Gregg T. (AUTHOR), Chen, Eugene Y.-X. (AUTHOR)
Source: Science. 5/7/2026, Vol. 392 Issue 6798, p636-642. 7p.
Subjects: Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Chemical recycling, Biodegradable plastics, Recyclable material, Monomers, Polymerization
Abstract: Recyclable polymers that can be produced at scale and readily tuned within the same polymer framework for specific properties are critical to achieving a circular materials economy. To this end, synthetic poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate)s (PHAs) have emerged as high-performance, chemically recyclable variants of biological PHAs, but their difficult monomer syntheses and suboptimal recycling efficiencies pose challenges for large-scale deployment. In this study, we investigated a β-isopropylidene PHA, i-PHA, for which the lactone monomer can be synthesized by existing industrial methods from biomass-derived isobutyric acid. The alkylidene substituent prevents decarboxylative degradation typically observed during PHA depolymerization, enabling near-quantitative chemical recycling to monomer. Controlled hydrogenation of the β-isopropylidene side group produces PHAs with diverse performance metrics that are competitive with a range of commodity polymers, spanning strong fibers to ductile thermoplastics to superglue epoxy resins. Editor's summary: In efforts to improve the sustainability and environmental friendliness of conventional plastics, chemists have recently sought to optimize poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA). This class of natural polymer has appealing and tunable properties, but synthetic versions have been expensive to manufacture and inefficient to recycle. Zhou et al. now report progress on both fronts. An alkylidene-substituted lactone monomer is accessible from biomass-derived isobutyric acid and confers greater resistance to side pathways during depolymerization to close the recycling loop. —Jake S. Yeston [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Science is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Alkylidene functionalization produces highly recyclable and scalable polyhydroxyalkanoates.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhou%2C+Li%22">Zhou, Li</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22May%2C+James+H%2E%22">May, James H.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gowda%2C+Ravikumar+R%2E%22">Gowda, Ravikumar R.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hamernik%2C+Levi+J%2E%22">Hamernik, Levi J.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kenny%2C+Jacob+K%2E%22">Kenny, Jacob K.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Lili%22">Wang, Lili</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stubbs%2C+Christopher+D%2E%22">Stubbs, Christopher D.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Quinn%2C+Ethan+C%2E%22">Quinn, Ethan C.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22DesVeaux%2C+Jason+S%2E%22">DesVeaux, Jason S.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Knauer%2C+Katrina+M%2E%22">Knauer, Katrina M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Beckham%2C+Gregg+T%2E%22">Beckham, Gregg T.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Eugene+Y%2E-X%2E%22">Chen, Eugene Y.-X.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Polyhydroxyalkanoates%22">Polyhydroxyalkanoates</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemical+recycling%22">Chemical recycling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biodegradable+plastics%22">Biodegradable plastics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Recyclable+material%22">Recyclable material</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Monomers%22">Monomers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Polymerization%22">Polymerization</searchLink>
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  Data: Recyclable polymers that can be produced at scale and readily tuned within the same polymer framework for specific properties are critical to achieving a circular materials economy. To this end, synthetic poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate)s (PHAs) have emerged as high-performance, chemically recyclable variants of biological PHAs, but their difficult monomer syntheses and suboptimal recycling efficiencies pose challenges for large-scale deployment. In this study, we investigated a β-isopropylidene PHA, i-PHA, for which the lactone monomer can be synthesized by existing industrial methods from biomass-derived isobutyric acid. The alkylidene substituent prevents decarboxylative degradation typically observed during PHA depolymerization, enabling near-quantitative chemical recycling to monomer. Controlled hydrogenation of the β-isopropylidene side group produces PHAs with diverse performance metrics that are competitive with a range of commodity polymers, spanning strong fibers to ductile thermoplastics to superglue epoxy resins. Editor's summary: In efforts to improve the sustainability and environmental friendliness of conventional plastics, chemists have recently sought to optimize poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA). This class of natural polymer has appealing and tunable properties, but synthetic versions have been expensive to manufacture and inefficient to recycle. Zhou et al. now report progress on both fronts. An alkylidene-substituted lactone monomer is accessible from biomass-derived isobutyric acid and confers greater resistance to side pathways during depolymerization to close the recycling loop. —Jake S. Yeston [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Science is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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