Premium
Size‐Dependent Melting Temperature of Polymers
Author(s) -
Jiang Qing,
Yang Chun Cheng,
Li Jian Chen
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
macromolecular theory and simulations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.37
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1521-3919
pISSN - 1022-1344
DOI - 10.1002/mats.200390003
Subject(s) - orthorhombic crystal system , polyethylene , lattice (music) , thermodynamics , melting temperature , melting point , chemistry , crystallography , materials science , physics , crystal structure , organic chemistry , acoustics , composite material
A general model for all kinds of size‐dependent melting points, free of any adjustable parameter, is extended to illustrate the size‐dependence of the melting temperature of polyethylene (PE). The model prediction for the depression of the melting temperature of PE is consistent with the calorimetric experimental results as shown in the Figure where the melting temperature of lamellae PE crystals as a function of the thickness of the crystals is presented.The T m ( D ) function of PE shown as a solid line in terms of Equation (4). The necessary parameters for use of Equation (4) are shown in Table 1. The symbols ○ and • denote the experimental evidence of T m ( D ) of linear alkanes14b and cyclic alkanes,14c respectively. The values of D are determined by D = 0.1273 n 6 with 0.1273 nm being the orthorhombic CC lattice distance in the c ‐direction.5 The symbol □ denotes the experimental evidence of chain‐extended PE.6