Direct imaging of smectic B phase of poly(p-xylylene)

Single crystals of poly(p-xylylene) were grown in dilute α-methylnaphthalene solution and studied by bright-field and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). The crystallization process was discussed in terms of the dependence of crystal form on crystallization conditions. A 0.15 nm resolution was achieved from high-resolution images of a frozen liquid crystalline phase. High-temperature electron diffraction patterns confirmed the existence of the liquid-crystalline phase in agreement with previous work of Lieser. The HREM images show the molecular packing in the smectic B phase. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.