| Abstract: | Polyacetylene (PA) deposited on a platinum surface is synthesized by electrochemical polymerization of acetylene in a cell with platinum strip as cathode, nickel strip as anode, and nickel bromide in acetonitrile as electrolyte. The electrolytic solution is presaturated with acetylene. The PA so produced has a granular morphology and high surface area (79 m2/g), and is insoluble. Polymerization at lower temperature gives higher content in cis units. It has the same chemical structure as that produced using the Shirakawa method as examined by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. |
