Depolymerization of polystyrene under ambient conditions

Depolymerization of the addition polymer polystyrene to monomeric styrene is facilitated by mechanochemical processing at room temperature under ambient atmosphere. The reaction occurs in metal-based milling media in concert with scission of macromolecular chains that generates carbon-centered free-radicals detectable by EPR spectroscopy, even though the processing is performed in air.