Studies of thermally assisted interactions of polysulphide polymer with ionic liquids

Abstract

The present paper, for the first time, reports analysis regarding the structural interactions of polysulphide polymer with ionic liquids (ILs), which have been studied by thermo-gravimetry analysis (TGA). A systematic thermal analysis of polysulphide polymer has been carried out, based on polymerization and series of ILs like tetrabutyl ammonium hexa-fluorophosphate [TBA][ $$\hbox {PF}_{6}$$ ], N-butylpyridinium bromide [Bpy][Br] and 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bromide [Bmim][Br] using a thermal gravimetry analyser. The plausible mechanism of the interactions and thermally induced reactions of polysulphide polymer with ILs has been advanced and discussed. The probable interactions of polysulphide polymer with [Bmim][Br] and [TBA][ $$\hbox {PF}_{6}$$ ] are also discussed. The interactions between polysulphide polymer and ILs were confirmed by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, TGA–differential thermo-gravimetry analysis and field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis.