Morphology,crystal structure,and orientation of poly-p-oxybenzoate on mica

Polymerization of p-acetoxybenzoic acid between mica sheets, from both the melt and dilute solution, in a wide range of polymerization temperatures (180–400°C) yields an epitaxial-like overgrowth of PpOBA on the mica cleavage surface. The PpOBA overgrowth forms long rows by lateral aggregation of ribbon crystals situated in three substrate directions rotated by 60°. The c-axes of the PpOBA phase I and II lattices are parallel to the 001 plane of the mica, coinciding with the a-axes of the mica hexagonal structure. The a_I- and b_II-axes lie predominantly on the mica surface. The surface-orienting effect is tentatively attributed to surface steps and or/polar effects; lattice matching does not occur. The recrystallization of bulk polymer samples previously prepared also leads to ordering between mica like that in melt or solution polymerization. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 1807–1820, 1997