From helical polyacetylene to helical graphite: synthesis in the chiral nematic liquid crystal field and morphology-retaining carbonisation

Abstract

This tutorial review presents current progress in the synthesis of helical polyacetylene (H-PA) using a chiral nematic liquid crystal reaction field as an asymmetric polymerisation solvent. In addition, we review the morphology-retaining carbonisation for helical graphite using H-PA as a carbonisation precursor. Carbonisation of H-PA films, via iodine doping, is demonstrated to produce carbon and graphitic films bearing completely preserved morphologies and even helical nanofibril structures.