Synthesis of polyphenylcarbosilane via thermal rearrangement of polymethylphenylsilane in supercritical cyclohexane

A new process for the synthesis of polyphenylcarbosilane (PPCS) via thermal rearrangement of polymethylphenylsilane (PMPS) in supercritical cyclohexane was proposed and investigated at reaction temperatures of $380-420^{\circ}C$, reaction times of 1-2 h, and a pressure of 15 MPa. The structure, molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution of the product were characterized by FT-IR, Si-NMR, and GPC. The ceramic yield was also measured by TGA analysis. High-quality PPCS with high molecular weight and ceramic yield can be synthesized via a supercritical process. Furthermore, this process, when compared to the conventional method, tends to moderate the reaction conditions such as reaction temperature and time. It is concluded that thermal rearrangement in supercritical fluid is an efficient and viable process in terms of the resulting yield, efficiency, and reaction time compared with those of the conventional PCS production process.