Crystal melting and its kinetics on poly(ethylene oxide) by in situ atomic force microscopy

Beekmans, L.G.M. and Meer van der, D.W. and Vancso, G.J. (2002) Crystal melting and its kinetics on poly(ethylene oxide) by in situ atomic force microscopy. Polymer, 43 (6). pp. 1887-1895. ISSN 0032-3861

PDF
Restricted to UT campus only: Request a copy
2627Kb

Abstract:	The process of melting in poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is followed in real-time at elevated temperatures by atomic force microscopy (AFM) using a simple hot stage apparatus. AFM imaging of the morphology above the onset of melting revealed the dynamics of a complex melting process. The observed melting behavior of PEO is associated with the existence of separate dominant and subsidiary morphological entities. The morphological observations revealed that the melting process is not explained by a mechanism of crystal reorganization (melting–recrystallization–remelting or crystal thickening. The kinetic data shows that the crystal dimensions decrease proportional to time indicating a nucleation controlled melting process. The crystals melt instantaneously on heating and reveal a spread in the rates of melting of the radial ${120}$ faces. This variation in rate of retrogression of the crystals is assumed to be related to a lamellar thickness distribution of the melt grown crystals.
Item Type:	Article
Copyright:	© 2002 Elsevier
Faculty:	Science and Technology (TNW)
Research Group:	Materials Science and Technology of Polymers (MTP)
Link to this item:	http://purl.utwente.nl/publications/74805
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0032-3861(01)00748-0
Export this item as:	BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager

Show download statistics for this publication

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Metis ID: 210427