University of Surrey Plastic Turns to Gas and Reforms for Recycling

The planet is awash with plastic rubbish.

Microplastics have entered our bodies, and no ecosystem has escaped them. Plastic has been found on the most isolated mountains and in the deepest ocean reaches. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is now conspicuous enough to have become both a proper noun and an ecosystem in its own right.

Polyethylene, the most widely manufactured plastic in the world, is used for bags, food packaging and containers for household products. Its durability and long lifespan, however, also make it particularly polluting.

A self-reforming plastic from the University of Surrey

There may nevertheless be cause for optimism. Chemical engineers at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom have developed an unusual plastic with properties that could help support a more circular materials economy.

As reported in Macromolecules, the proof-of-concept polymer readily turns into a gas when heated. Then, much like the mythical Phoenix, it rises from its 'ashes' and reforms itself.

A graphical abstract displaying the researchers' unique polymer and its qualities, including its circularity. (Kazmi et al.,* Macromolecules*, 2026)

"Most plastics are designed to be stable, which is exactly what makes them difficult to remove or recycle," explains Peter Roth, a chemical engineer at the University of Surrey.

"We've shown that it's possible to create a material that behaves very differently - one that can transform into vapor at relatively low temperatures before naturally rebuilding itself into the same polymer."

The new polymer is known as poly(1,2-dithiolane). It consists of a chain of individual 1,2-dithiolane links, or monomers: ring-shaped molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen and two bonded sulphur atoms.

(Left: Ben Mills/Wikimedia Commons Right: Ccroberts/Wikimedia Commons)

Because this sulphur bond is reversible, the polymer can be readily degraded again and again.

"This isn't a replacement for conventional plastics, and it's certainly not a solution to the global plastic waste problem. But it does introduce a new concept that could inspire an entirely new generation of circular materials," Roth adds.

How poly(1,2-dithiolane) could improve plastic recycling

The material could therefore tackle several problems that hinder effective plastic recycling.

First, it can undergo depolymerisation more easily: a complex polymer is broken into its simpler constituent monomers, much as a LEGO model can be dismantled into separate bricks. Goodbye pirate ship, hello medieval castle!

LEGO sets do not put themselves back together, though - at least not yet. Conventional plastics may also need heating to roughly 200 degrees Celsius before they begin to degrade.

What is produced can then need further processing, which may create hazardous, polluting by-products.

By contrast, the researchers' polymer decomposes at only about 90 degrees Celsius. It sublimes directly from solid to gas, bypassing the liquid state and "constituting a first example of a polymer showing this behavior," the researchers say.

To illustrate a practical use, the team dipped a rolled sheet of filter paper into the material. The polymer vapour 'hugged' the paper, producing a waterproof coating.

They subsequently removed that coating just as easily with heat. Although the paper was discoloured, it recovered its original capacity to absorb water.

Meanwhile, as it cools and solidifies, the plastic can readily reassemble itself for reuse.

The researchers suggest this experiment could ultimately be reproduced at industrial scale, with as-yet-unknown possibilities.

A display showing how the researchers demonstrated their new polymer's potential applications. (Kazmi et al.,* Macromolecules*, 2026)

Polymer coatings are found almost everywhere. They enhance insulation and lubrication, while increasing resistance to corrosion, moisture and wear.

They safeguard the internal components of manufacturing equipment that produces grocery goods, and help keep domestic appliances functioning.

Coatings also shield homes by preventing unpleasant, ichorous mould or repelling rain so that dripping water need not be caught in pots and pans - which themselves have protective coatings.

Lastly, the scientists demonstrated how polymer sublimation might make plastic recycling more efficient by "contaminating" their polymer with Nile red dye.

Ordinarily, separating such additives from plastic waste demands extra chemical treatment that is costly and resource-intensive. Here, however, heating the polymer removed the dye in a single step.

Potential uses for recyclable polymers

It is unlikely that we will be buying Pokémon figures made from poly(1,2-dithiolane), or receiving takeaway meals in boxes that reconstruct themselves without the grease.

Still, the researchers envisage that related biodegradable polymers could even have biomedical uses, including surgical adhesives, hydrogels that produce breathable contact lenses, and nanoparticles that deliver medicines where illness occurs.

Related: Plastic Waste Has Been Turned Directly Into Hydrogen Fuel – No Sorting Required

"The exciting part is that we've demonstrated a principle that wasn't previously available," says Touseef Kazmi, a chemical engineer at the University of Surrey and the study's lead author.

"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."

This research was published in Macromolecules.

This article was fact-checked and edited by Michael Irving. While we take pride in our process, we are only human. If you spot an error, please let us know.