Dynamic Sulfur-Rich Network from Silicone Industry Waste

Abstract

Industrial waste accumulation poses significant environmental challenges. Dimethyldivinylsilane, a notable side product of the silicone industry is left without a specific use. Meanwhile, sulfur, the most common byproduct of the petrochemical industry, is frequently in surplus despite being largely utilized for sulfuric acid production. This study employed the inverse vulcanization technique to upcycle these two waste streams into sulfur-rich dynamic polymer networks. The silicon-based crosslinker contributed to distinct dynamic behaviors for the synthesized polymers compared to other inverse vulcanized networks, resulting in a variety of accessible morphologies dependent on specific processes. The produced sulfur-rich malleable film was found to enhance the high-temperature performance of monolayer MoS2 transistors by healing the sulfur vacancies and suppressing the switching hysteresis. This investigation highlights the potential for industrial waste upcycling and its application in the future design of materials and devices.