Gas Permeation of Sulfur Thin-Films and Potential as a Barrier Material

Elemental sulfur was formed into poly(ether sulfone)-supported thin-films (ca. 10 mu m) via a melt-casting process. Observed permeabilities of C2H4, CO2, H-2, He, and N-2 through the sulphur thin-films were <1 barrer. The sulfur thin-films were observed to age over a period of ca. 15 days, related to the reversion of polymerized sulfur to the S-8 allotrope. This structural conversion was observed to correlate with an increase in the permeability of all gases.