CHEMICAL DEGRADATION OF POLY(STYRENE DISULFIDE) AND POLY(STYRENE TETRASULFIDE) BY TRIPHENYLPHOSPHINE

The chemical degradation of polysulfide polymers, viz., poly(styrene d isulfide), PSD, and poly(styrene tetrasulfide), PST, has been achieved using triphenylphosphine, TPP. The reaction was monitored using P-31 NMR spectroscopy. The solubility analysis of the reaction residues rev eals that while PSD degrades completely, PST on the other hand, underg oes complete degradation only when the concentration of TPP is increas ed. Moreover, the reaction of PST with TPP occurs at room temperature whereas PSD requires a higher temperature. The reaction products were analyzed using the direct pyrolysis mass spectrometric (DP-MS) techniq ue, and their formation has been explained through an ionic mechanism.