Solvent effect on the morphology of poly(oxy-1,4-benzenediylcarbonyl) whiskers from p-acetoxybenzoic acid

Poly(oxy-1,4-benzenediylcarbonyl) (POB) whiskers from p-acetoxybenzoic acid were prepared in mixtures of liquid paraffin having many branched carbons (LP) and completely linear paraffin (SW). The crystal shapes of the POB whiskers obtained were largely changed by the mixing ratio of LP and SW. When the content of SW in the solvents increased: (i) both the length and the width of the whiskers decreased; (ii) the tip angle of the whiskers increased; and (iii) radial growth of the whiskers increased. The size of the POB whiskers was attributed to both the number and the size of those lamellar crystals with screw dislocations (primary nuclei for whisker growth) which had formed in the early stages of polymerization. In SW, larger numbers of smaller lamellar crystals were formed than in LP, owing to the lower solubility of POB oligomers at 330°C in SW; that is, the higher supersaturated state of the POB oligomers produced a larger number of smaller primary nuclei for whisker growth. Hence, whiskers having smaller lengths and widths were obtained as the content of SW increased. The other characteristic changes in whisker shapes, i.e. tip angles and radial growth, also seemed to be attributable to the degree of supersaturation of the POB oligomers, though further study is required. The thermal properties of the whiskers were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis.