to break (a polymer) into constituent monomers or (of a polymer) to decompose in this way
Derived forms
depolymerization (deˌpolymeriˈzation) or depolymerisation (deˌpolymeriˈsation)
noun
depolymerize in American English
(ˌdipəˈlɪməˌraiz, diˈpɑləmə-)
transitive verbWord forms: -ized, -izing
Chemistry
to break down (a polymer) into monomers
Alsoesp Britdepolymerise
Derived forms
depolymerization
noun
Word origin
[1890–95; de- + polymerize]This word is first recorded in the period 1890–95. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: historicism, honky-tonk, masochism, neoclassicism, takedownde- is a prefix occurring in loanwords from Latin (decide); also used to indicate privation, removal, and separation (dehumidify), negation (demerit; derange), descent (degrade; deduce), reversal (detract), or intensity (decompound)
Examples of 'depolymerize' in a sentence
depolymerize
Fungal enzymes produced from various carbon sources were used to depolymerize these networks.
Ran Bi, Petri Oinonen, Yan Wang, Gunnar Henriksson 2015, 'A Method for Studying Effects on Lignin-Polysaccharide Networks during BiologicalDegradation and Technical Processes of Wood', BioResourceshttp://ojs.cnr.ncsu.edu/index.php/BioRes/article/view/BioRes_11_1_1307_Bi_Method_Effects_Lignin_Polysaccharide_Networks. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
The microtubules of meiotic spindles are vulnerable to the thermal changes and will depolymerize.
Shee-Uan Chen, Yu-Shih Yang 2009, 'Slow Freezing or Vitrification of Oocytes: Their Effects on Survival and Meiotic Spindles,and the Time Schedule for Clinical Practice', Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecologyhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1028455909600309. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
They readily polymerize and depolymerize in cells and these dynamic behaviours are crucial to cell mitosis.
Sabina Tabaczar, Aneta Koceva-Chyła, Karolina Matczak, Krzysztof Gwoździński 2010, 'Molecular mechanisms of antitumor activity of taxanes. I. Interaction of docetaxelwith microtubules', Postępy Higieny i Medycyny Doświadczalnejhttp://journals.indexcopernicus.com/fulltxt.php?ICID=923813. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
An excess of between-dimer mutants could depolymerize preformed wild type polymers, while within-dimer mutants had no activity.
Christopher A Sontag, Harvey Sage, Harold P Erickson 2009, 'BtubA-BtubB heterodimer is an essential intermediate in protofilament assembly.',PLoS ONEhttp://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2746283?pdf=render. Retrieved from PLOS CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
However, the mixing temperature and duration can cause rubber particles to depolymerize and subsequently cause loss of viscosity.
Mohd Rasdan Ibrahim, Herda Yati Katman, Mohamed Rehan Karim, Suhana Koting, Nuha S.Mashaan 2013, 'A Review on the Effect of Crumb Rubber Addition to the Rheology of Crumb Rubber ModifiedBitumen', Advances in Materials Science and Engineeringhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/415246. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)