Thermal Imaging and Clandestine Surveillance using Low‐Cost Polymers with Long‐Wave Infrared Transparency

Tonkin, Samuel J.; Pham, Le Nhan; Gascooke, Jason R.; Johnston, Martin R.; Coote, Michelle L.; Gibson, Christopher T.; Chalker, Justin M.

doi:10.1002/adom.202300058

Cited by 17 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 22 publications

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“…Ready access to these polysulfides has led to diverse applications that take advantage of the useful properties of S−S bonds in these copolymers. These applications include redox active cathode materials for lithium−sulfur batteries, 1,2 lenses and other optics equipment for infrared thermal imaging and surveillance, 7,16 sorbents for heavy metal remediation, 13,17 repairable and selfhealing materials, 18−20 precision fertilizers, 21−23 and recyclable machine components, 24 in addition to other applications recently reviewed. 8−12 Despite the many useful polymers accessible by inverse vulcanization, this polymerization method does have limitations.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrochemical Synthesis of Poly(trisulfides)

et al. 2023

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With increasing interest in high sulfur content polymers, there is a need to develop new methods for their synthesis that feature improved safety and control of structure. In this report, electrochemically initiated ring-opening polymerization of norbornene-based cyclic trisulfide monomers delivered well-defined, linear poly(trisulfides), which were solution processable. Electrochemistry provided a controlled initiation step that obviates the need for hazardous chemical initiators. The high temperatures required for inverse vulcanization are also avoided resulting in an improved safety profile. Density functional theory calculations revealed a reversible "self-correcting" mechanism that ensures trisulfide linkages between monomer units. This control over sulfur rank is a new benchmark for high sulfur content polymers and creates opportunities to better understand the effects of sulfur rank on polymer properties. Thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometry revealed the ability to recycle the polymer to the cyclic trisulfide monomer by thermal depolymerization. The featured poly(trisulfide) is an effective gold sorbent, with potential applications in mining and electronic waste recycling. A water-soluble poly(trisulfide) containing a carboxylic acid group was also produced and found to be effective in the binding and recovery of copper from aqueous media.

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Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrochemical Synthesis of Poly(trisulfides)

et al. 2023

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Fabrication of Plastic Optics from Chalcogenide Hybrid Inorganic/Organic Polymers for Infrared Thermal Imaging

Molineux,

Lee,

Kim

et al. 2023

Advanced Optical Materials

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The development of infrared (IR) plastic optics for infrared thermal imaging, particularly, in the long‐wave IR (LWIR) spectrum (7–14 µm) is an area of growing technological interest due to the potential advantages associated with plastic optics (e.g., moldability and low cost). The development of a new class of optical polymers, chalcogenide‐based inorganic/organic hybrid polymers (CHIPs) derived from the inverse vulcanization of elemental sulfur, has enabled significant improvements in IR transparency due to reduction of IR absorbing organic comonomer units. The vast majority of effort has focused on new chalcogenide hybrid polymer synthesis and optical property improvements (e.g., refractive index, Abbe number, and LWIR transmission); however, fabrication and IR imaging methodology to prepare optical components has not been demonstrated, which remains critical to develop viable IR plastic optics. A new methodology is reported to fabricate optical components and evaluate LWIR imaging performance of this emerging class of optical polymers. New diffractive flat optics with a Fresnel lens design for these materials have been developed, along with a basic LWIR imaging system to evaluate CHIPs for LWIR imaging. This system‐based approach enables correspondence of copolymer structure‐property correlations with LWIR imaging performance, along with demonstration of room temperature LWIR imaging.

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Probe‐Based Mechanical Data Storage on Polymers Made by Inverse Vulcanization

Mann,

Tonkin,

Sharma

et al. 2024

Advanced Science

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Big data and artificial intelligence are driving increasing demand for high‐density data storage. Probe‐based data storage, such as mechanical storage using an atomic force microscope tip, is a potential solution with storage densities exceeding hard disks. However, the storage medium must be modifiable on the nanoscale. While polymers are promising storage media, they face challenges with synthesis, erasing temperatures, and stability. Here, a low‐cost and robust polymer system is reported that allows repeated writing, reading and erasing. The polymer is made by inverse vulcanization, providing a network of S─S bonds that can be broken and re‐formed repeatedly. This property is leveraged in mechanical indentation to encode information, and thermal S─S metathesis and polymer re‐flow to erase. Exquisite control of indentation depth is possible over 1–30 nm. This control enables data encoding not just as a function of the presence or absence of an indent, but also indentation depth. This ternary coding increases the data density four‐fold over binary coding. Furthermore, the coding can be done at room temperature which is rare for mechanical information storage. The low cost, ease of synthesis, and dynamic S─S bonds in these polymers are a promising advance in polymer storage media for probe‐based data storage.

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Thermal Imaging and Clandestine Surveillance using Low‐Cost Polymers with Long‐Wave Infrared Transparency

Cited by 17 publications

References 22 publications

Electrochemical Synthesis of Poly(trisulfides)

Electrochemical Synthesis of Poly(trisulfides)

Fabrication of Plastic Optics from Chalcogenide Hybrid Inorganic/Organic Polymers for Infrared Thermal Imaging

Probe‐Based Mechanical Data Storage on Polymers Made by Inverse Vulcanization

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