High-orientability polyacetylene films and process for their production

Claim 1

A process for producing a polyacetylene film having: (a) a thickness from 5 microns to 1 mm; (b) a content of cis isomer greater than about 40%; (c) an elongation at break (L/LO) which at 25° C. is in the range of 4 to about 7.5; (d) A tensile strength over 100 MPa; (e) a molecular orientation under stretch such as to produce scattering of X-rays, Δβ being equal to our lower than 35°; said process comprising polymerizing acetylene in film form at a temperature of from -100° C. to +100° C. and under an acetylene pressure of from 0.01 atmosphere to 2 atomospheres by directly contacting monomeric acetylene with a two component catalyst system which consists of (1) a member of the group consisting of: Ti(N(norC.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.2).sub.4 Ti(N(norC.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.2).sub.2 ((O-norC.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.2) Ti(N(norC.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.2).sub.2 ((CH.sub.3 COO).sub.2) Ti(N(norC.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.2).sub.2 ((O--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --CH.sub.3).sub.2) Ti(N(C.sub.17 H.sub.33 COO).sub.2) ((O--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --CH.sub.3).sub.2) Ti((O--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --CH.sub.3).sub.2) ((O-norC.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.2) Ti(N(norC.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.2).sub.2 ((S--C.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.2) Ti((O--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --O)) ((O-norC.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.2); and (2) a member of the group consisting of: sodium alkyls, lithium alkyls, potassium alkyls, beryllium alkyls, magnesium alkyls, magnesium alkyl halides, zinc alkyls, boron alkyls, aluminum alkyls, gallium alkyls, tin alkyls and lead alkyls, wherein said alkyls have from 1 to 8 carbon atoms.