Renewable Materials: Chemical Recycling and Polymer Networks

This lecture covers the concepts of renewable materials, focusing on chemical recycling of plastics and the creation of polymer networks with photoswitchable motifs for recyclable adaptive materials. The instructor discusses fundamental mechanisms, incorporation into polymers, and translation into polymer networks, emphasizing the use of photoswitchable motifs to achieve specific responses to light irradiation. The lecture also explores the strategic fit of these materials in the Materials Faculty at EPFL and the potential applications in biomaterials and nanomaterials. Additionally, the presentation delves into teaching activities related to materials science at EPFL, highlighting courses on organic chemistry, polymer science, and composite technology.