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Yu T, Gao Y, Wang B, Dai X, Jiang W, Song R, Zhang Z, Jin M, Tang Y, Wang Z. Depolymerization of Free-Radical Polymers with Spin Migrations. Chemphyschem 2015; 16:3308-12. [PMID: 26335946 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201500645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism of depolymerization is one of the most essential issues in chemical engineering and materials science. In this work, we investigate the depolymerization reactions of three typical free-radical poly(alpha-methylstyrene) tetramers by using first-principles density functional theory. The calculated results show that these reactions all need to overcome the energy barriers in the range of 0.58 to 0.77 eV, and that breaking the C-C bond at the chain end leads to the dissociation of alpha-methylstyrene monomers from the polymers. Electronic-structure analysis indicates that the reactions occur easily at the CR3 unsaturated end, and that the frontier molecular orbitals that participate in the reactions are mainly localized at the unsaturated ends. Meanwhile, spin population analysis presents the unique net spin-transfer process in free-radical depolymerization reactions. We hope the current findings can contribute to understanding the free-radical depolymerization mechanism and help guide future experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianrong Yu
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Yang Gao
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Bo Wang
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Xing Dai
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Wanrun Jiang
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Ruixia Song
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Zhanwen Zhang
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, P. R. China
| | - Mingxing Jin
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
| | - Yongjian Tang
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China
- China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, P. R. China
| | - Zhigang Wang
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China.
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China.
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