Solution phase processing of polyarylene sulfide

A method comprising the steps of:

• a) contacting, in the presence of a suitable solvent, a polyarylene sulfide with at least one reducing agent and at least one base to form a first mixture, wherein the reducing agent comprises zinc(0), tin(0), tin(II), bismuth (0), bismuth(III), or a combination thereof, and the ratio of the reducing agent to the polyarylene sulfide is from about 0.0001:1 to about 0.5:1 on a weight basis;
• b) heating the first mixture to a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient time to form a second mixture wherein the polyarylene sulfide is dissolved in the solvent;
• and
• c) precipitating the dissolved polyarylene sulfide from the second mixture to obtain a modified polyarylene sulfide having improved thermo-oxidative stability relative to the thermo-oxidative stability of the polyarylene sulfide of step a) measured under the same conditions.