Advances in sustainable polyolefins: synthesis, chemical transformation and recycling

Polyolefin dominates global plastic production due to their cost-effectiveness and versatile performance, yet their environmental persistence and low recycling pose critical challenges on sustainability. Conventional recycling methods of inert native polyolefins face fundamental limitations including toxic byproduct generation and energy-intensive process. This review examines advances on sustainable polyolefins bearing weak bonds in terms of synthesis, chemical transformation and recycling. By incorporating cleavable bonds into the polymer backbone, traditionally persistent polyolefin retains essential mechanical properties while enabling designed deconstruction under mild conditions. We critically unify advances across three aspects: synthetic approaches for weak bond integration; polyolefin main-chain post-modification and transformation; chemical recycling of polyolefin. Recent breakthroughs demonstrate viable routes to sustainable polyolefins. Challenges in structure–property–degradability balancing are analyzed, with future directions emphasizing highly controlled degradation, backbone structure optimization, and precise control on polymer chain structure. This paradigm shift toward degradable-by-design polyolefin offers a roadmap to decouple plastic production from fossil dependence while addressing global plastic recycling.