TM-Free and TM-Catalyzed Mechanosynthesis of Functional Polymers

Abstract

Highlights: The most representative examples for the TM-free and TM-catalyzed mechano-synthesis of functional polymers are reported; The most common applications for the various types of functional polymers are precented; The advantage of solvent-free mechanosynthesis over conventional solvent-based synthesis are highlighted; In many cases the better performance of the mechanchemically-prepared polymers over those obtained by using conventional methods are demonstrated. Mechanochemically induced methods are commonly used for the depolymerization of polymers, including plastic and agricultural wastes. So far, these methods have rarely been used for polymer synthesis. Compared to conventional polymerization in solutions, mechanochemical polymerization offers numerous advantages such as less or no solvent consumption, the accessibility of novel structures, the inclusion of co-polymers and post-modified polymers, and, most importantly, the avoidance of problems posed by low monomer/oligomer solubility and fast precipitation during polymerization. Consequently, the development of new functional polymers and materials, including those based on mechanochemically synthesized polymers, has drawn much interest, particularly from the perspective of green chemistry. In this review, we tried to highlight the most representative examples of transition-metal (TM)-free and TM-catalyzed mechanosynthesis of some functional polymers, such as semiconductive polymers, porous polymeric materials, sensory materials, materials for photovoltaics, etc. © 2023 by the authors.