Polymer, Vol.41, No.23, 8263-8269, 2000
Furfuryl alcohol conjugated oligomer pellicle formation
The heterogeneous acid catalysis of furfurylic alcohol oligomer polymerisation was investigated for the first time. Oligomer conjugated bond structures were confirmed through their optical absorption bands at 570, 650, 770 and 930 nm. Polymerisation in the furfurylic alcohol surface inside glass tubes produced porous pellicles that fell as a result of gravity, breaking apart when tube radii were larger than 0.27 cm. The high oligomer concentration at the furfurylic alcohol surface caused the formation of oligomer clusters that bound to each other to generate the porous and electrically conductive pellicle. Oligomers produced by heterogeneous catalysis have a molecular weight distribution richer in small oligomers than those produced by homogeneous catalysis.