What is it about?
We developed a new way to make soft and elastic materials from carbon dioxide (CO₂), a major greenhouse gas. By combining CO₂ with other chemicals in a simple one-pot process, we created liquid pre-polymers that have special double bonds (allyl groups) built into their structure. These bonds make the material ready for “click” chemistry — a fast and reliable way to connect molecules. Using light, we triggered a thiol–ene reaction that cross-linked these pre-polymers into solid elastic networks in just seconds to minutes. The result is a transparent, flexible material that could be used in applications such as sealants or soft plastics. This process is not only efficient and scalable, but also uses CO₂ as a renewable building block, offering a more sustainable approach to polymer manufacturing.
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Why is it important?
This work presents a practical route to high-performance, elastic polymer materials that are derived in part from waste CO₂, helping reduce our reliance on fossil resources. The approach combines green chemistry (CO₂ utilization), advanced polymer synthesis (terpolymerization), and light-driven thiol–ene click chemistry to rapidly produce tailored materials. By adjusting the number of reactive groups, the curing speed and material rigidity can be precisely controlled. The fast curing, mild conditions, and selective chemistry make this strategy suitable for scalable production in industries looking for sustainable alternatives. It also expands the application potential of CO₂-based polymers into new markets such as soft materials, adhesives, and elastomers.
Perspectives
Working on this project was exciting because it brought together multiple facets of chemistry — catalysis, polymer design, and photochemistry — to address both a scientific challenge and an environmental goal. Seeing how a waste gas like CO₂ can be turned into something as useful as an elastic material using elegant and clean chemistry was especially rewarding. I hope this work encourages further innovation in the use of CO₂ as a raw material and shows how click chemistry can help make advanced materials more sustainable.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Ernst Müller
Ruhr-Universitat Bochum
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Light-mediated curing of CO2-based unsaturated polyethercarbonates via thiol–ene click chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, January 2016, Royal Society of Chemistry,
DOI: 10.1039/c6py00458j.
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