Oxidation of Polydithioacetals towards Enhanced Interchain Interactions and Oxidative Stability

Abstract

Polydithioacetals can be facilely prepared, while the weak interchain interactions limit their potential applications. Here, controlled oxidation of polydithioacetals to incorporate sulfoxides and sulfones onto the mainchain was achieved at room temperature by using 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (mCPBA). The polymer chains maintained good integrity during the oxidation, while the glass transition temperature of the resulting polymers were significantly increased from -35 oC to 110 oC when all the sulfide groups were oxidized to sulfones. The impact of oxidation on the surface hydrophilicity, thermal stability, mechanical strength and oxidative stability of the polymer was further studied. Overall, the current work provides a new perspective for fine tuning the chemical structure and properties of polydithioacetals.