INS1-0081
Reimagining Plastic Optics with Sulfur-derived Plastic Glass
Topic
S1. Polymer Synthesis
When and Where
Sep 29, 2026
15:50 - 16:15
Room 101
Session Chairs
Min Sang KWON
Presenter(s)
Jeffrey Pyun (University of Arizona)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Polymer optics have transformed visible-light technologies; however, their broader use in infrared photonics remains limited by low refractive index, vibrational absorption, and insufficient thermal stability. We have pioneered polymer-forming reactions based on elemental sulfur (S₈) and sulfur monochloride (S₂Cl₂) that afford a new class of high refractive index plastic glass and processable photopolymer systems. Inverse vulcanization of S₈ enables sulfur-rich polymer glasses with refractive indices up to n ≈ 1.8–1.9, elevated glass transition temperatures (>100 °C), and broadband infrared transparency suitable for bulk optical components. In parallel, S₂Cl₂-based polymerizations provide access to prepolymer resins and photopolymer networks with improved control over architecture, enabling fabrication of structured optical materials through casting, molding, and photolithography. Together, these complementary approaches define a continuum of materials spanning bulk glass-like optics to manufacturable photonic structures. We demonstrate fabrication of lenses and diffractive elements and evaluate system-level optical performance in infrared imaging. These results establish sulfur-derived polymer chemistry as a versatile foundation for next-generation plastic optics across multiple length scales and spectral regimes. Here, we present a unified platform for broadband VIS-IR plastic optics derived from elemental sulfur and sulfur-based petrochemicals that overcomes these limitations and extends polymer optics across the visible to infrared spectrum.
