Chemical Recycling

Researchers develop chemical process to break silicones back into dichlorosilane monomers

Scientists have reported a new depolymerization method that uses silylium-ion catalysis with phosgene-type deoxygenative chlorinating agents to cleave Si–O–Si bonds in silicone polymers under mild conditions. The reaction converts linear and cyclic siloxanes, including commercial silicone oils and elastomers, back into dichlorosilane, the industrial building-block monomer used to manufacture new silicones.