From polymers to polymeric carbon - a way to synthesize a large variety of new materials

Abstract

Polymeric carbon became known during the last years in form of monolytic bulk material as glassy carbon and carbon fibres as well as in combination of both as carbon/carbon composites. The paper involves a general review of the nature of these polymeric carbons as a single element polymer with two— dimensional polymer units. The chemical viewpoints for the preparation of these polymeric carbons and their application in combination with organic polymers are treated in detail. The present and future application possibilities are discussed basing on the material capacity, technological difficulties and economic viewpoints. INTRODUCTION Polymeric carbon is made from synthetic polymers. World polymer production amounts more than 40 Mio jato. The polymer production including fibres and elastomeres comprises a fifth of the total volume of the production of chemical industry throughout the world. All synthetic polymers are made of crude oil as raw material. Therefore, one has to examine whether this basic raw material for today's polymers and for special new products made from it, will be available in the future which will be characterized by a growing energy crisis. Or, have we to go back to the metals or ceramic materials instead of to proceed from organic polymers to the low weight anorganic material Pure Carbon? ALUMINIUM •.. . . .• ...•• . ::: ... .... . .::.I. 15.2