Design of intrinsically circular polymers (iCPs)
(closed-loop recycling)
A chemistry-first approach integrating continuous-flow processes with reaction–structure analysis will illuminate the trade-offs between recyclability and material performance in CO₂-derived polymers, guiding the design of novel monomers that achieve balance in next-generation circular materials.
Accessing advanced material from end-of-life (EoL) polymers
(open-loop upcycling)
Reimagining waste as a valuable resource rather than an endpoint. Through open-loop upcycling, discarded plastics can be transformed into higher value materials with enhanced performance, extending their lifecycle and unlocking new possibilities for sustainable innovation.
iCPs from bio-based monomers:
towards self-driving labs
Integrating ML with continuous-flow systems will enable reinforcement-learning frameworks that capture the complexity of polymer synthesis and performance, revealing structure–property–recyclability relationships that cannot be discerned by human intuition or traditional methods alone.