Liquid polysulfide polymers are aliphatic resins that provide beneficial chemical resistivity, weatherability, gasoline and jet fuel resistance, and gas barrier properties, as well as easy processability.* In the cured state, these polysulfides feature plasto-elastomeric properties in which polysulfides can undergo self-healing.
The features of the polysulfides can be mainly attributed to the disulfide linkages in the polymer backbone. These linkages, on the other hand, also lead to relatively high density and cold-flow characteristics. As the latter may be detrimental for some applications, polythioethers have been developed as a lightweight, less plasto-elastic alternative to liquid polysulfide polymers. Available polythioethers, however, struggle with reactivity, crystallization issues, unpleasant odor, or their yellowish color. This new generation of polythioethers was developed to address these issues (see Figure 1).**