Synthesis of diamond from polymer seeded with nanometer-sized diamond particles

In a hot-filament chemical vapor deposition reactor a carbon-based random network polymer [C₆H₅C]_n, poly(phenylcarbyne), consisting of randomly constructed rigid network of tetrahedral phenylcarbyne units, has been converted to diamond by heat treatment in a pure hydrogen atmosphere at low pressure. Raman spectroscopy analysis confirmed the conversion of this polymer to diamond by the presence of a sharp diamond characteristic peak at 1331 cm^-1. The morphology of the resulting samples was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The mechanism of conversion is discussed.