Lewis-Acid Induced Mechanochemical Degradation of Polyvinylidene Fluoride – Transformation into Valuable Products
A collaboration between the Braun, Emmerling and Balasubramanian groups demonstrates the mechanochemical degradation of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF, −[CH2CF2]n−) by Lewis acidic AlCl3 to generate functionalised (fluorinated and chlorinated) graphite, AlF3, HCl and CH4. PVDF belongs to the class of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as “forever chemicals” because of their persistence and tendency to accumulate in the environment. The researchers investigated the degradation mechanism, which consists of an initial cleavage of PVDF’s strong C–F bond, a dehydrofluorination step to release HF and aromatisation leading to graphite formation. This approach can be applied to both laboratory PVDF and real life PVDF membranes, providing a route for the production of high-value materials from polymer waste streams.
Link to the original publication:
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/sc/d5sc05783c