BORON-TRIFLUORIDE INITIATED POLYMERIZATION OF ISOBUTENE IN THE MICROPORES OF ACTIVATED-CHARCOAL CLOTH

The interaction of boron trifluoride (BF3) with activated charcoal cloth, and BF3 initiated polymerisation of isobutene in micropores, has been studied. A thermally stable polymer could be deposited in the pores at fairly high loadings (at least up to 30%) without causing significant blockage of the remainder of the micropore structure. Although the polarity of the surface was increased (due to chemisorption and, perhaps, a certain amount of intercalation of BF3), it was still found possible to shift the upswing in the water isotherm to higher relative pressures (due to the removal of narrower pores from the micropore size distribution). It is concluded that the position of the characteristic upswing in water adsorption isotherms determined on microporous carbons cannot be interpreted solely in terms of the chemistry of the surface but that the considerable influence of the micropore structure also needs to be taken into account.