Roadmap to the sustainable synthesis of polymers: From the perspective of CO2 upcycling

The demand for virgin polymers is constantly increasing owing to the desired performance and low recycling rates of polymers; however, this exacerbates significant plastic-industry-related issues such as greenhouse emissions and waste generation. Plastic production is primarily responsible for the high carbon footprint of plastics (96% of the entire carbon footprint). Therefore, the construction of a roadmap for producing green polymers from sustainable feedstocks such as CO2 is critical for realizing sustainability in the plastic industry. The use of CO2 as a feedstock can mitigate the high concentration of atmospheric CO2 and provide a complementary alternative carbon resource for polymer production. Previous studies on this subject have primarily focused on polymers that comprise a small portion of the polymer market. Therefore, this review highlights the potential of CO2 upcycling technologies in synthesizing commonly used polymers. Additionally, the CO2-based catalytic production of conventional biodegradable polymers that are currently prepared using plant biomass is explored. This review aims to provide a comprehensive, authoritative, critical, and accessible overview of polymer production via CO2 upcycling. Therefore, a synthesis roadmap that includes production pathways, catalyst performance, and the requisite materials based on the existing production processes of polymeric building blocks is presented herein.