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Abstract
The use of S2Cl2 as an alternative to elemental sulfur in the synthesis of sulfur rich polymers for optical applications is a newly emerging field of polymer chemistry that utilizes the facile addition of sulfenyl chloride to allylic olefins to synthesize high molecular weight, linear, soluble polymers, and resin. This polymerization reaction which is termed sulfenyl chloride inverse vulcanization (SC-IV) bypasses the limitation of high reaction temperatures and immiscibility with molten sulfur usually encountered with the classical inverse vulcanization polymerizations with elemental sulfur. The chemistry of SC-IV reactions which can be modified for simple small molecules allows for the formation of soluble products that facilitates the study of their mechanisms and chemical structure using simple available chemical tools such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography.
In this talk, we will discuss our recent progress in synthesizing ultra-high molecular weights SC-IV polymers using a stoichiometric excess of S2Cl2 and the expansion of their applications into flame retardancy. Our efforts into the synthesis of a liquid resin using this SC-IV reaction for the fabrication of less colored, crosslinked, thermoset windows using both thermal and photopolymerizations and their characterization will also be discussed.
Presenter
Chisom Olikagu
Graduate Student, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona
Biosketch
Hi, my name is Chisom Olikagu, and I am from Nigeria. I obtained my Bachelors (Chemistry) and Masters (P. Chem) from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) Enugu State. I am currently pursuing my PhD in Organic Chemistry (Polymer Chemistry) and hope to become a professor someday. I like travelling to new places with my husband to get new experiences with food and culture.
Hosted by: Dr. Robin Polt