Additionally, after hydrolysis, almost all the cyclic polymers disappeared, suggesting that they were hydrolyzed into the linear polymer. Figure illustrates the proposed mechanism of degradation that results in the release of di-acids from variable polyester chains as a function of their end-group type. As illustrated, the hydrolysis process gradually yields to the release of acid terminated monomers and the fully alcohol-terminated polymer chains, regardless of the localization of the cleavages (i.e., at the end of, or within the chain).