Thermal degradation of aliphatic polyesters into their corresponding lactones and then repolymerizing these monomers into polyesters with identical properties is a green and effective closed-loop method for polyester recycling. This method takes the advantages of the chemical equilibrium between polymer and monomer at different temperatures

and has been successfully applied to the recycling of a variety of commercial available aliphatic polyesters. To expand the scope of polyesters suitable for thermal recycling

new polyesters with good mechanical properties and low cost have been designed and prepared. This review paper will discuss the relationship between thermal recycling and polyester structures

including mechanism

recycling efficiency

together with recent advances in this field.