A chemical process where large molecular chains break down into smaller units or monomers spontaneously without external chemical or enzymatic help.
From auto- (self) + de- (reverse) + polymerization (linking of polymer chains). This chemistry term describes the reversal of polymerization happening internally.
Autodepolymerization is why some plastics gradually become brittle and break apart in sunlight—UV light triggers the polymer chains to spontaneously break into smaller pieces, which is why old plastic bags turn to dust, a problem that's finally driving innovations in truly biodegradable plastics.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.