Macroscopically Aligned Carbon and Graphite Whiskers Prepared from Poly(m-phenylene) Derivatives with Helicene-like Helical Structures

We report novel macroscopically aligned carbon and graphite whiskers prepared from self-assembled helicene-like helical poly(m-phenylene) (PMP) derivatives with whisker morphologies. The PMP derivatives bearing carboxylic acid moieties were synthesized through esterolysis of the alkyl side chains and used as carbonization precursors. Polarizing optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the randomly aligned whisker morphologies of the PMP derivatives were preserved during the carbonization, even at 800 °C. Furthermore, graphite whiskers were prepared with heat treatment at 2600 °C for the carbon whiskers. Next, two types of oriented substrates were prepared through polytetrafluoroethylene rubbing and stretching methods. The PMP films with macroscopically aligned whisker morphologies were prepared by annealing polymers on the oriented substrates. The carbon and graphite whiskers with macroscopically aligned morphologies were then prepared through heat treatment. The aligne...