It has been achieved to obtain flexible self-supporting supramolecular polymeric membranes consisting of only 1,3,5-trisubstituted benzene derivatives prepared by highly selective photocyclic aromatization of the corresponding poly (substituted phenylacetylene)s having a columnar structure. The flexibilities of the self-supporting supramolecular polymeric membranes were enhanced by introducing hydroxyl groups or phenylene groups to the starting polymers (monomers). There were two reasons for the enhanced strength: 1) introduction of intercolumnar hydrogen bonds and 2) enhancement of the degree of intracolumnar stackings. This strength depended on the structure of the starting polymers which functioned as a template. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.