REAL-TIME X-RAY-SCATTERING STUDY DURING THE THERMAL-CONVERSION OF A PRECURSOR POLYMER TO POLY(PARA-PHENYLENE VINYLENE)

The thermal conversion of poly(xylilidene tetrahydrothiophenium chloride) (PXTC) into poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) has been followed in situ using real-time X-ray diffraction. At temperatures higher than 75-degrees-C, the elimination reaction is associated with a change in the wide-angle X-ray scattering pattern, indicating the thermal conversion of the precursor polymer PXTC into imperfect PPV semicrystalline domains embedded within a matrix of amorphous precursor. At temperatures higher than 120-degrees-C, the elimination process takes place simultaneously with the improvement of chain packing within the semicrystalline domains of PPV.