Chalcogenide hybrid organic/inorganic polymers and methods for producing and using the same

A method for producing a chalcogenide hybrid organic/inorganic polymer, the method comprising:

• reacting a non-aromatic organic compound with a chalcogenide to produce said chalcogenide hybrid organic/inorganic polymer;
• wherein:
• the non-aromatic organic compound is bicyclo[2.2.1] heptadiene dimer or bicyclo[2.2.2] octadiene dimer;
• the chalcogenide is elemental sulfur;
• the amount of chalcogenide present in the chalcogenide hybrid organic/inorganic polymer is at least about 5 wt %;
• and
• the chalcogenide hybrid organic/inorganic polymer is glassy and substantially transparent in the visible and infrared spectrum.