Catalytic C-H Oxidation Enhances Polyethylene Bonding

Selectively adding functionality to commodity plastics is an abiding challenge in polymer science. In this issue of Chem, Hartwig and co-workers describe a selective, catalytic oxidation of polyethylene C-H bonds by using high-valent ruthenium-oxo species. The transformation increases polyethylene's adhesive properties without significantly modifying its thermal stability or mechanical strength.