Researchers from Ghent have developed a scalable method to make silicone elastomers fully recyclable. They report their findings in Macromolecules. 

There are two main types of plastics, thermoplastics and thermosets, each with its own pros and cons. The former have great recyclability and malleability, but weak intermolecular interactions; the latter have strong covalent cross-links that remain stable with heat, but usually end up as permanent waste. Covalent adaptable networks (CANs) combine the strong properties of thermosets with the recyclability of thermoplastics by using dynamic cross-links. Based on this concept, Loc Tan Nguyen, Chiel Mertens and Filip Du Prez from Ghent University have found a very simple way to produce recyclable PDMS-based elastomers.