New elemental sulfur-based polymeric materials called poly(sulfur-random-divinylbenzene) [poly(S-r-DVB)] were synthesized by ring opening polymerization via inverse vulcanization technique in the presence of a mixture of o-, m-, and p-diviniylbenzene (DVB) as a cross-linker. A clear yellow/orange colored liquid was obtained from the elemental sulfur melted at 160 8C and then by adding various amounts of DVB to this liquid directly via a syringe at 200 8C viscous reddish brown polymeric materials were obtained. The copolymers are soluble in common solvents like tetrahydrofuran, dichloromethane, and chloroform, and they can be coated on any surface as a thin film by a spray coating technique. The characterization of the materials was performed by using nuclear magnetic resonance, fourier transform infrared, and Raman spectroscopies. The morphological properties were monitored via scanning electron microscope technique. Thermal analysis showed that an increase in the amount of DVB in the copolymers resulted in an increase in the thermal decomposition temperature. On the other hand, poly(S-r-DVB) copolymers exhibited good percent transmittance as 50% T between 1500 and 13,000 nm in electromagnetic radiation spectrum, which makes them good candidates to be amenable use in military and surveillance cameras.
2-Ethylhexyl substituted dithienosilole based soluble polymers including thiophene (1) and bithiophene (2) units were synthesized via Stille coupling reaction. The presence of 2-ethylhexyl substituents on the silole ring gave solubility property to the polymers in common solvents. According to gel permeation chromatography measurements, the weight average molecular weights of the polymers 1 and 2 were found to be as 70,977 with a polydispersity index of 2.30 and 110,439 with a PDI of 1.42, respectively. Fluorescent polymers in toluene solution have maximum emisssion bands at 634 nm for the polymer 1 and 613 nm for the polymer 2. Chemical and electrochemical doping of the polymers in the solution and in the film forms were monitored by using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopic technique. The polymers exhibited chromic (chemochromic and electrochromic) properties. While the colors of the neutral polymer films are purple for the polymer 1 and reddish brown for the polymer 2, both polymers are transparent sky blue at their oxidized states. The bandgaps of polymers in film forms were calculated as 1.81 eV for the polymer 1 and 1.92 eV for the polymer 2. Also, electrochromic device applications of the polymers were done. Electrochemical and optical behaviors of the polymers demonstrated that they can be good candidates for optoelectronic applications.
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