News from Japan

The News from Japan in the last issue [1] mentioned that “Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) possesses irreversible covalent cross-linked bonds, and because of the three-dimensional mesh structure, it cannot be melted or dissolved, making material recycling difficult. Therefore, XLPE is, at this point, unsuitable for a greener society.” The article further mentioned, “ENEOS NUC Corporation, Kawasaki, Japan, has developed, as a countermeasure to the above, XLPE with reversible cross-links that can convert back to the uncross-linked state by introducing a new cross-linker with a dynamic covalent bond.”