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Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Synthesis of Terpolymers at Mild Temperatures Using Dynamic Sulfur Bonds in PolyS-Divinylbenzene
Published on: May 20, 2019
Inverse Vulcanization Polymers with Enhanced Thermal Properties via Divinylbenzene Homopolymerization-Assisted
Sangwoo Park1, Duhwan Lee2, Hongkwan Cho2
1The National Creative Research Initiative Center for Intelligent Hybrids, The WCU Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
High-refractive-index sulfur-rich polymers with significantly improved thermal properties are prepared using divinylbenzene (DVB) as a comonomer in a modified, low-temperature inverse vulcanization with elemental sulfur. Differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared studies reveal that under the modified inverse vulcanization conditions, homopolymerized DVB segments form, leading to high glass-transition temperatures (Tg > 100 °C) and thermal stability previously unattainable from the inverse vulcanization of bifunctional olefin comonomers. On the basis of the modified procedures, a three-step molding process of the inverse vulcanization product of DVB, poly(S-r-DVB), involving (1) prepolymer formation, (2) hot-press compression molding of the soft prepolymer, and (3) thermal annealing of the molded product is demonstrated. The molded high-sulfur-content poly(S-r-DVB) exhibits a high refractive index (n > 1.85), along with high midwave infrared transmittance. Combined with a high Tg, these properties render poly(S-r-DVB) with properties highly desirable in applications involving infrared optics.
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