Characterization of synthesized poly(aryldisulfide) through interfacial polymerization using phase-transfer catalyst

A new polysulfide polymer was synthesized from 1,4-bis(chloromethyl)-benzene and sodium disulfide by an interfacial polycondensation technique in the presence of tetrabutyl ammonium bromide, methyltributyl ammonium chloride and benzyl triethyl ammonium chloride as phase-transfer catalysts (PTC). The effect of PTC on the kinetics of polymerization was investigated. Structures of this aromatic polysulfide were confirmed through elemental analyses, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, an X-ray diffraction technique, and a nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy method. The thermal behavior of this polymer was also characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. The solubility of prepared polymer was critically dependent on the identity of the solvent.