Bulk transient materials made of cyclic poly(phthalaldehyde)

A method of manufacturing a bulk transient material capable of triggered depolymerization, the method comprising:

• purifying cyclic poly(phthalaldehyde) (cPPA) by lowering a concentration of a Lewis acid catalyst to less than about 10 μmol/g;
• dissolving the purified cPPA in a first portion of a solvent to form a purified cPPA solution;
• dissolving a plasticizer in a second portion of the solvent to form a plasticizer solution;
• mixing the purified cPPA solution with the plasticizer solution to form a mixture;
• casting the mixture into a film to obtain a cPPA film;
• drying the cPPA film;
• melting the dried cPPA film;
• adding the melted cPPA into a mold;
• cooling the melted cPPA to solidify the cPPA;
• and
• removing the solidified cPPA from the mold to obtain a bulk transient material capable of triggered depolymerization.