Background
Excess sulfur poses challenges in storage and management, contaminating soil and water, disrupting ecosystems, and hindering plant growth. Burning sulfur releases sulfur dioxide, a major air pollutant contributing to acid rain and respiratory issues. Therefore, managing excess sulfur involves finding sustainable uses to reduce its environmental harm. With annual worldwide production of approximately 70 million tons of elemental sulfur, converting excess sulfur into value-added products can offer a simultaneous solution for waste management and resource conservation. In the past decade, attention has been drawn to a new class of polymers with high sulfur content that are prepared from direct polymerization of elemental sulfur and organic co-monomers, a process called inverse vulcanization.
Invention Description
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed an inverse vulcanization process of a sulfur polymer using catalyzed copolymerization with oleic acid. Vulcanization is a conventional process using the addition of sulfur or other components to cross-link polymers to increase their strength, flexibility, and wear resistance properties. This invention utilizes an inverse vulcanization process through which sulfur-based polymers are catalytically cross-linked using TiO2 catalyst with an organic compound, such as oleic acid. This invention provides a sustainable valorization solution for the problem of excess sulfur arising from abundant natural sources of sulfur and the production of millions of tons of waste sulfur annually as a byproduct of refineries.
Potential Applications:
- Performance-enhancing battery storage
- Sustainable rubber production
- Infrastructure and construction material
Benefits and Advantages:
- Carbon negative biogenic catalyst
- Polymer with a high thermal stability, high modules, low odor, low moisture susceptibility