New Plastic Vaporizes at 90°C and Rebuilds Itself

New Plastic Vaporizes at 90°C and Rebuilds Itself

By
Robin Walker

Publish Date:August 23, 2026

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📰 The quick summary: Chemical engineers have created a new plastic that vaporizes when heated and reassembles itself when cooled, opening a path toward easier recycling and more circular materials.
📈 One key stat: The new polymer breaks down at just 90 degrees Celsius, far below the roughly 200 degrees Celsius required to break down conventional plastics, making recycling far less energy intensive.
💬 One key quote: “If we can learn how to tailor this chemistry, it could eventually lead to new materials that are easier to apply, remove and recycle than many of today’s plastics,” said Touseef Kazmi, lead author of the study and chemical engineer at the University of Surrey.

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1️⃣ The big picture: Plastic waste is one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, with conventional plastics designed to be durable and long lasting, making them extremely difficult to recycle effectively. Chemical engineers at the University of Surrey have now developed a new type of polymer that takes a radically different approach to this problem. Called poly(1,2-dithiolane), this material vaporizes into a gas when heated to around 90 degrees Celsius and then naturally reassembles itself into a solid as it cools. In a proof of concept experiment, researchers used the polymer as a removable waterproof coating on filter paper, successfully stripping it away with simple heat while leaving the paper intact. While it is not a direct replacement for everyday plastics, this new material introduces a principle that could inspire a generation of more recyclable, circular materials.

2️⃣ Why is this good news: A plastic that can be broken down and rebuilt repeatedly without generating hazardous byproducts is a significant step toward reducing the environmental burden of plastic waste. Because this polymer sublimates at just 90 degrees Celsius, recycling it requires far less energy than processing conventional plastics, which typically need temperatures more than twice as high. Removing additives like dyes from this material takes just a single heating step, cutting out the costly and resource intensive chemical processing that makes conventional plastic recycling so difficult. Beyond recycling, similar biodegradable polymers could find use in biomedical applications such as drug delivery, surgical adhesives, and breathable contact lenses. Proving that a material like this is chemically possible opens the door for researchers around the world to build on this concept and develop the next generation of truly circular materials.

3️⃣ What’s next: Researchers plan to explore how the chemistry of this polymer can be tailored to expand its properties and potential applications. Industrial replication of the coating and removal process is a long term goal, with the team suggesting untold potential in manufacturing settings. Biomedical applications, including drug delivery nanoparticles and surgical adhesives, are also being considered as future research directions.

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Read the full story here: ScienceAlert – A New Kind of Plastic Vaporizes When Heated And Then Reassembles Itself

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