Carbon Dioxide-Derived Materials

Abstract This perspective evaluates pathways for carbon dioxide utilization in polymer science. While direct CO₂ copolymerization with simple epoxides is technologically mature, the resulting aliphatic polycarbonates have found only niche markets due to their poor material properties. Promising alternatives include polymerization reactions that move beyond epoxides or synthesizing CO₂-derived monomers, which can be polymerized into high-value materials. The key conclusion is that, to significantly impact CO₂ emissions, research must prioritize replacing high-volume commodity plastics, focusing on matching their properties rather than simply maximizing the weight percentage of incorporated CO₂.