Poly(hydridocarbyne)
Poly is one of a class of carbon-based random network polymers primarily composed of tetrahedrally hybridized carbon atoms, each having one hydride substituent, exhibiting the generic formula n. PHC is made from bromoform, a liquid halocarbon that is commercially manufactured from methane. At room temperature, poly is a dark brown powder. It can be easily dissolved in a number of solvents, forming a colloidal suspension that is clear and non-viscous, which may then be deposited as a film or coating on various substrates. Upon thermolysis in argon at atmospheric pressure and temperatures of 110 °C to 1000 °C, decomposition of poly results in hexagonal diamond.
More recently poly has been synthesized by a much simpler method using electrolysis of chloroform and hexachloroethane.
The novelty of PHC is that the polymer may be readily fabricated into various forms and then thermolyzed into a final hexagonal diamond ceramic.
