Depolymerization in Deep Eutectic Solvents

In recent years, the urgent need for new solvents has become apparent for several reasons: most traditional solvents are often not produced sustainably, they are ineffective in certain applications, and they lack biodegradability. Recently, a new class of liquids, Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs), has captured the attention of chemists due to their potential to address these limitations. This chapter explains the general concept of DESs and explores their recent applications in the depolymerization of plastic wastes, either as solvents or catalysts. In most cases, the selected polymer was polyethylene terephthalate (PET), but also examples on polycarbonate (PC) and poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PEF) will be presented.