Commercially available synthetic polymers have a variety of properties that range from ultrarigid thermosets to high-performance elastomers and include thermoplastic materials in between. However, their superior properties, such as durability and strength, are also responsible for their environmental persistence. The development of degradable and recyclable polymers is an attractive strategy to tackle this accumulation. Here we report cyclic–acyclic monomers metathesis polymerization to produce degradable thermoset, thermoplastic and elastomeric polymers. Specifically, metathesis-based copolymerization of dicyclopentadiene with a series of commercially available or easily accessible diene comonomers that bear degradable moieties can afford degradable polydicyclopentadiene thermosets. The use of triene comonomers can increase the cross-linking density and improve material properties. Copolymerization of these diene comonomers with cyclooctene or norbornene can afford degradable linear thermoplastic polymers. The introduction of a branched third comonomer leads to the formation of degradable elastomers. The material properties and degradability through different routes (including fluoride, acid and base treatment) of these polymers are investigated.

市售合成聚合物具有多种特性，从超硬热固性材料到高性能弹性体，包括介于两者之间的热塑性材料。然而，它们的优越性能，例如耐用性和强度，也是它们在环境中持久存在的原因。开发可降解和可回收聚合物是解决这种积累的有吸引力的策略。在这里，我们报告了环状-非环状单体复分解聚合以生产可降解的热固性、热塑性和弹性聚合物。具体而言，基于复分解的二环戊二烯与一系列可商购或易于获得的带有可降解部分的二烯共聚单体的共聚可以提供可降解的聚二环戊二烯热固性材料。使用三烯共聚单体可以增加交联密度，改善材料性能。这些二烯共聚单体与环辛烯或降冰片烯的共聚可以提供可降解的线性热塑性聚合物。支化第三共聚单体的引入导致可降解弹性体的形成。研究了这些聚合物通过不同途径（包括氟化物、酸和碱处理）的材料性能和降解性。