A polymeric polysulfide is disclosed. The polymeric polysulfide is formed by reacting a fatty acid composition comprising at least one unsaturated fatty acid or derivative thereof with sulfur, at a weight ratio between 9:1 and 1:9, under inverse vulcanisation conditions to produce a polymeric polysulfide wherein at least 50% of the fatty acids or derivatives thereof in the fatty acid composition are unsaturated.

A polymeric polysulfide is disclosed. The polymeric polysulfide is formed by reacting a fatty acid composition comprising at least one unsaturated fatty acid or derivative thereof with sulfur, at a weight ratio between 9:1 and 1:9, under inverse vulcanisation conditions to produce a polymeric polysulfide wherein at least 50% of the fatty acids or derivatives thereof in the fatty acid composition are unsaturated.

A flame retardant composition includes a polymers that is the reaction product of a mixture of a chalcogenide halide and one or more organic compounds comprising an unsaturated carbon-carbon bond under reaction conditions sufficient to produce the polymer, wherein the chalcogenide halide comprises a sulfur monohalide, a sulfur dihalide, a selenium monohalide, a selenium dihalide, a selenium tetrahalide, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

A flame retardant composition includes a polymers that is the reaction product of a mixture of a chalcogenide halide and one or more organic compounds comprising an unsaturated carbon-carbon bond under reaction conditions sufficient to produce the polymer, wherein the chalcogenide halide comprises a sulfur monohalide, a sulfur dihalide, a selenium monohalide, a selenium dihalide, a selenium tetrahalide, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

A process for preparing a sulfur copolymer, a sulfur copolymer, and a polymer composition containing one or more sulfur copolymers are provided. The process involves copolymerizing a cyclic monothiocarbonate compound of formula ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently of one another hydrogen. C.sub.1-C.sub.18-alkyl, C.sub.1-C.sub.18-alkyl substituted with halogen or interrupted with O or S; C.sub.6-C.sub.18-aryl or C.sub.6-C.sub.12-aryl substituted with C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkyl, C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkoxy, C.sub.1-C.sub.4-alkylthio or halogen; with elemental sulfur in the presence of a polymerization initiator.

Disclosed are compositions comprising a liquid carrier, a polysulfide rubber curing agent, a metal cation, and an ionic liquid. Also disclosed are methods for curing a surface of an uncured polysulfide rubber. These methods involve applying the disclosed compositions to the surface of the uncured polysulfide rubber.

Disclosed are compositions comprising a liquid carrier, a polysulfide rubber curing agent, a metal cation, and an ionic liquid. Also disclosed are methods for curing a surface of an uncured polysulfide rubber. These methods involve applying the disclosed compositions to the surface of the uncured polysulfide rubber.

Process for the preparation of a polysulfide comprising the step of reacting in the absence of a dihaloalkane a bis(2-dihaloalkyl)formal in the presence of (i) a pre-polymer (I) according to structure (I)
X(R2O)nCH2O(R1O)mCH2(OR2)pX(I),
wherein R1 and R2 can be the same or different and are selected from alkane chains containing 2-10 carbon atoms, X is a halogen atom, and n, m, and p are integers that can be the same or different and have a value in the range 1-6, with either (i) sodium polysulfide or (ii) a combination of sodium hydrosulfide and sulfur.

Process for the preparation of a polysulfide comprising the step of reacting in the absence of a dihaloalkane a bis(2-dihaloalkyl)formal in the presence of (i) a pre-polymer (I) according to structure (I)
X(R2O)nCH2O(R1O)mCH2(OR2)pX(I),
wherein R1 and R2 can be the same or different and are selected from alkane chains containing 2-10 carbon atoms, X is a halogen atom, and n, m, and p are integers that can be the same or different and have a value in the range 1-6, with either (i) sodium polysulfide or (ii) a combination of sodium hydrosulfide and sulfur.

A poly(phenylene sulfide) fiber changes little in fiber structure and has excellent long-term heat resistance. Namely, the poly(phenylene sulfide) fiber has a degree of crystallization of 45.0% or higher, a content of movable amorphous components of 15.0% or less, and a weight-average molecular weight of 300,000 or less.