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Updated: Sep 23, 2025

Synthesis of Terpolymers at Mild Temperatures Using Dynamic Sulfur Bonds in PolyS-Divinylbenzene
Published on: May 20, 2019
Sustainable inverse-vulcanised sulfur polymers
Douglas J Parker1, Samantha T Chong2, Tom Hasell1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK t.hasell@liverpool.ac.uk.
Abstract:
We demonstrate two renewable crosslinkers that can stabilise sustainable high sulfur content polymers, via inverse-vulcanisation. With increasing levels of sulfur produced as a waste byproduct from hydrodesulfurisation of crude oil and gas, the need to find a method to utilise this abundant feedstock is pressing. The resulting sulfur copolymers can be synthesised relatively quickly, using a one-pot solvent free method, producing polymeric materials that are shape-persistent solids at room temperature and compare well to other inverse vulcanised polymers. The physical properties of these high sulfur polymeric materials, coupled with the ability to produce them sustainably, allow broad potential utility.
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