Depolymerisation

Natural or induced processes that break down polymers into their basic building blocks are referred to as depolymerisation. This chemical conversion can take place in various ways, but they all aim to break down complex polymers into simpler molecules such as monomers or polymers with a lower molecular mass.

For some polymers, depolymerisation can be achieved by simple thermal processes, in which heat is used to break the bonds between the polymer chains. However, this is only effective for certain polymers.