SusChEM: Electroactive Polymers via Inverse Vulcanization of Elemental Sulfur

在这个由化学系大分子、超分子和纳米化学计划资助的项目中，亚利桑那大学的Jeffrey Pyun和Richard Glass以及特拉华大学的Michael Mackay将探索以元素硫为单体原料的聚合物化学，以制备主要的硫磺共聚物。元素硫具有许多有用的电化学性质和光学性质。然而，由于硫基聚合物的溶解度较低，与大多数有机化合物的相容性较差，制备硫含量较高的硫基聚合物还没有得到广泛的探索。研究了一种以熔融液态硫为反应介质、以共单体为共聚单体合成富硫共聚物的本体聚合方法--逆硫化。将合成具有不同反应官能度的新型苯乙烯类共聚单体，并考察它们与硫磺的共聚反应。这些硫基聚合物将进行化学、机械和电化学表征，并将作为锂硫电池的电极材料进行评估。该提案的更广泛影响包括聚合物在锂硫电池技术中的潜在用途，以及在图森高中磁力学校开设新的研究课程和讲座。国际活动将把亚利桑那大学和首尔国立大学联系起来，两所大学的学生将共同努力，提高技术交流和写作技能。这项研究的目的是利用废硫磺制备一种新型塑料。元素硫是石油精炼和天然气生产的废品，在这个研究项目中，将探索将有机塑料与硫结合的新化学工艺，以创造有用的新材料。这项研究可能会带来新的技术，可能会影响电池行业以及塑料材料的商业用途。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Jeffrey Pyun and Richard Glass of the University of Arizona and Michael Mackay of the University of Delaware will explore polymer chemistry to utilize elemental sulfur as a monomer feedstock to prepare majority sulfur copolymers. Elemental sulfur exhibits a number of useful electrochemical and optical properties. However, due to its low solubility and compatibility with the majority of organic compounds, the preparation of sulfur-based polymers, with a majority content of sulfur has not been extensively explored. A bulk polymerization method, inverse vulcanization, that uses molten liquid sulfur as the reaction medium and as a comonomer for the synthesis of sulfur-rich copolymers will be studied. New styrenic comonomers with varying reactive functionality will be prepared and their copolymerization with sulfur will be examined. Chemical, mechanical and electrochemical characterization of these sulfur based polymers will be performed, and the polymers will be evaluated as electrode materials for lithium-sulfur batteries. The broader impacts of the proposal involve the potential uses of the polymers in lithium-sulfur battery technologies, and the creation of new research classes and lectures at the Tucson High Magnet School. International activities will link the University of Arizona with Seoul National University and students at both institutions will work together to improve technical communication and writing skills. The proposed research aims to utilize waste sulfur in the preparation a new class of plastics. Elemental sulfur is a waste product from petroleum refining and natural gas production, and in this research project new chemical processes will be explored that combine organic plastics with sulfur in ways that will create useful new materials. This research could lead to new technologies that may impact battery industries and well as commercial uses of plastic materials.