The mechanisms of recrystallization after melting in syndiotactic polypropylene and isotactic polystyrene

Several semicrystalline polymers show a recrystallization after melting during a heating scan. We have studied the mechanisms of such recrystallization processes for two different polymers, namely syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP) and isotactic polystyrene (iPS). This was done by monitoring the structure evolution during the recrystallization process and its changes during a subsequent heating scan via time- and temperature-dependent SAXS measurements, respectively. The results of this study showed that the sPP samples exhibited a recrystallization mechanism similar to the multi-stage route found upon initial crystallization of semicrystalline polymers from an entangled melt. Meanwhile, a different recrystallization mechanism was shown by the iPS samples. In this case, the recrystallization process proceeded as a direct growth into the melt in a one-step process. This is the first time we have observed such a mechanism which resembles the picture presented by the classical models for crystallization from an entangled polymer melt. The reason for such different mechanisms may be related to the initial melt state prior to crystallization. It seems as though, when crystallization sets in an entangled polymer melt, it follows the multi-stage route, whereas if the melt is locally disentangled, it proceeds by a direct growth mechanism. Received 23 July 2001 and Received in final form 4 October 2001     

High-pressure synthesis of a novel form of endohedral Li diamond from Li graphite intercalation compound

A novel form of hexagonal diamond containing Li atoms in the open rooms surrounded by sp³-bonded carbon atoms was successfully synthesized from a Li graphite intercalation compound under high pressure, as had been predicted by theoretical studies. High-pressure experiments with LiC₆ were performed in the pressure range from 0.1 MPa to 43 GPa using a diamond-anvil cell. In situ X-ray diffractometry and optical microscopy revealed that LiC₆ was transformed to a hexagonal-diamond form without losing Li atoms. The c-axis of the hexagonal-diamond form was considerably longer than that of the hexagonal diamond transformed from pure graphite, which was consistent with the predicted structure of the endohedral Li diamond. The observed high-pressure form exhibited a golden metallic gloss, which was also consistent with the calculated metallic band structure.     

Electrical and thermal studies in the commensurate incommensurate phase region of (NH4)2ZnCl4 single crystal

DC electrical conductivity for a virgin and poled annealed (NH₄)₂ZnCl₄b-axis single crystal shows a defect controlled property. A Schottky mechanism is a probable mechanism of conduction in regions of strong structural transitions. The rise of conductivity in the incommensurate and paraelectric phases is linked to an increase in discommensurations density. The activation energies (ΔE) in the three phases region were calculated. DTA measurements shows that the crystal is stable up to 200 °C and the phase transition temperatures were observed at 42, 94.8 and 137 °C. The effective activation energy (E_e) was obtained using Kissinger and Mahadevan equations. It was found to be equal to 0.49 eV. This correlates with the value obtained through DC conductivity.     

High temperature XRD studies of nanoscale AgI-CuI solid solutions

A preliminary high-temperature X-ray diffraction (HT-XRD) study of the nanometer-sized solid solution phases in the AgI-CuI system is reported through an extended range of temperatures (300-723K) covering phase transitions in both AgI and CuI. A major feature of this work is the observation of the coexistence of the zincblende and base-centred cubic phases of AgI over an extended range of temperatures the temperature width being a function of Cu content in the binary. The lattice parameters derived from HT-XRD data reflect systematics of phase transitions with progressive Cu substitution of AgI. The present results are discussed together with our earlier ionic conductivity, dilatometry and DSC data which have helped deduce phase diagrams for both the Ag-rich and Cu-rich regions of the binary.     

Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy study of benzoic acid at high pressures

Benzoic acid (C₆H₅COOH, BA) has been studied by high pressure Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy up to about 13.40 GPa using a diamond anvil cell at room temperature. The changes of lattice modes are interpreted as the crystal structure transformation. Three possible phase transitions, with the pressure increasing up to about 0.55, 3.67 and 11.10 GPa, are, respectively, elucidated as crystalline-to-crystalline, crystalline-to-amorphous transitions. A new material formed when the pressure is up to above 11.10 GPa remains stable after the pressure is released.     

Effect of thermal treatments on the structure of syndiotactic polystyrene

Syndiotactic polystyrene films were prepared from the melt with different thermal treatments. Amorphous or crystalline films were obtained; x-ray analysis shows that in the crystalline samples two crystalline forms can be present and that the phase composition depends on the thermal conditions. The two forms show a different stability to liquid methylene chloride, one being stable while the other can be dissolved or transformed to a completely different crystalline structure. In all the analyzed samples the study of transport properties of CH₂ Cl₂ at low activity indicates that the amorphous component behaves as atactic polystyrene. This allows the determination of the crystallinity in the different samples.     

Photoelectric studies of gallium monosulfide single crystals

Photoconductivity (PC) studies were carried out on GaS single crystals prepared from melt by directional solidification. We studied the effect of light intensity, applied voltage on both the PC and the lifetime of carriers. The V-I characteristics and the absorption spectra were checked for different sample thickness. The present investigation was extended to study the spectral distribution of the photocurrent for GaS. It was found that the photocurrent curves are practically independent of the bias voltage. The energy gap for GaS was found to be 2.5 eV.     

Induction of B1 phase in binary mixtures of rod- and bent-shaped mesomorphic compounds

The miscibility of a rod-shaped (R) and a bent-shaped (BC) compound forming an induced B₁ phase is reported. B₁ phase is not present in both R and BC in the entire phase sequence. R exhibits partially bilayered smectic A_d phase with cholesteric and TGB while BC shows a B₂ phase. It is interesting to show that the B₂ phase is totally diminished in low composition (weight%) of BC, B₁ phase is induced at lower temperature range (~90-135 °C). A dielectric study is also incorporated to confirm the induction of B₁ phase in the binary mixture.     

Dielectric and optical properties of polymer-liquid crystal composite

Dielectric properties of polymer-liquid crystal mixture, having constituent polymer, poly-butyl methacrylate (PBMA) and liquid crystal, cholesteryl nonanoate, are reported as a function of frequency and temperature. The measurement has been done in a temperature range of 300-375 K and frequency range of 100 Hz-10 MHz. The dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss shows significant changes with the addition of polymer molecules in liquid crystal. The significant feature of composite formation is that the pure liquid crystal and polymer do not show dielectric relaxation in the frequency range covered, while the composite shows relaxation peak at a particular frequency. The optical transmittance of pure liquid crystal and composite has also been measured and compared.     

Enhanced ferromagnetism in Mn-doped TiO2 films during the structural phase transition

The crystal structures and magnetic properties of Ti_0.9747Mn_0.0253O₂ films prepared by sol–gel dip coating have been investigated. Room temperature ferromagnetism was observed both in the films of pure anatase phase and of mixed anatase and rutile phases. For the first time, enhancement of the ferromagnetism was revealed as the phase transition from anatase to rutile occurs: from 0.7±0.01μ_B/Mn to 1.1±0.05μ_B/Mn. The possible mechanism for the observed magnetism enhancement is discussed.     

H and C NMR studies of molecular orientation and dynamics in liquid crystal 6BA

The dynamics and orientation of dimers accompanying the formation and destruction of hydrogen bonds in the nematic phases of 4-n-hexylbenzoic acid (6BA) were studied by ¹³C and ²H NMR. The orientational order parameter S in the nematic phase was estimated from the quadrupole splitting of the ²H NMR spectrum. The intermolecular interaction energy for the molecular order in the nematic phase decreased with increasing temperature. The flexibility of dimers due to the destruction of the hydrogen bond is closely related to a decrease in the intermolecular interaction energy. The proportion of ²H NMR spin-lattice relaxation time (T₁) to S, which reveals the coupling of the orientational fluctuations with the hydrogen bonding processes, was observed.     

In situ observations of temperature- and pressure-induced phase transitions in TiH2: Angle-dispersive and synchrotron energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction studies

We investigated the behavior of the structure of titanium hydride (TiH₂), an important compound in hydrogen storage research, at elevated temperatures (0-120 °C) and high pressures (1 bar-34 GPa). Temperature-induced changes of TiH₂ as indicated in the alteration of the ambient X-ray demonstrated a cubic to tetragonal phase transition occurring at about 17 °C. The main focus of this study was to identify any pressure-induced structural transformations, including possible phase transitions, in TiH₂. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction studies were carried out in situ (diamond anvil cell) in a compression sequence up to 34 GPa and in subsequent decompression to ambient pressure. The pressure evolution of the diffraction patterns revealed a cubic (Fm-3m) to tetragonal (I4/mmm) phase transition at 2.2 GPa. The high-pressure phase persisted up to 34 GPa. After decompression to ambient conditions the observed phase transition was completely reversible. A Birch-Murnaghan fit of the unit cell volume as a function of pressure yielded a zero-pressure bulk modulus K₀=146(14) GPa, and its pressure derivative K′₀=6(1) for the high-pressure tetragonal phase of TiH₂.     

On the Urbach rule in sulphur-implanted Cu6PS5I superionic conductors

Cu₆PS₅I superionic crystals, grown using chemical vapour transport, were implanted by sulphur ions. The ion implantation effect on the phase transitions is studied by temperature isoabsorption investigation of the optical absorption edge. For the implanted crystals the optical absorption edge shape is studied in the temperature range 77-320 K, the parameters of exciton-phonon interaction, resulting in the Urbach behaviour of the optical absorption edge, are determined, the temperature dependences of the optical pseudogap and Urbach energy are obtained. The implantation effect on the ordering-disordering processes in Cu₆PS₅I superionic conductors is studied.     

Magnetic properties of the ferrimagnetic cobaltite CaBaCo4O7

The magnetic properties of the ferrimagnetic cobaltite CaBaCo₄O₇ are systematically investigated. We find that the susceptibility exhibits a downward deviation below ∼360 K, suggesting the occurrence of short-range magnetic correlations at a temperature well above T_C. The effective moment is determined to be ., which is consistent with that expected for the Co²⁺/Co³⁺ high spin species. Using a criterion given by Banerjee [Phys. Lett. 12 (1964) 16], we demonstrate that the paramagnetic to ferrimagnetic transition in CaBaCo₄O₇ has a first order character.     

升温在位红外研究物理老化对间规聚苯乙烯结晶行为的影响

通过在位红外光谱测量研究了物理老化对非晶和δ晶型的间规聚苯乙烯（ＳＰＳ）升温结晶过程的影响。发现对于晶样品来说,在物理老化前后,其结晶（即非晶→α晶型）的温度区间变化不大;但对于δ晶型的样品而言其物理老化后的晶型转变（即δ晶型→γ晶型）温度区间是１０４～１２７℃,与未物理老化的晶型转变温度区间９０～１１２℃相比,转变温度升高了约１４℃,这充分说明了物理老化使溶致型的δ晶型更加稳定,其溶剂与晶体的结     

Local magnetization study of the first-order superconducting transition in CeCoIn5

We report local magnetization measurements on the heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn₅ using a micro-Hall probe. Below a critical point T₀ (), the local magnetization shows a clear jump at the superconducting transition temperatures for both H∥a and H∥c, indicating that the phase transition at the upper critical field H_c2 becomes a first-order phase transition. In addition, we observed an undershoot behavior of magnetization jump above (H∥c), which suggests a rapid change of textured superconducting structure with vortices and the nodal planes expected in the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state.     

Li and K NMR relaxation study of a LiKSO4 single crystal

The ⁷Li and ³⁹K NMR relaxations in a LiKSO₄ single crystal grown by the slow evaporation method were investigated by employing a pulse NMR spectrometer. From the experimental data, the quadrupole coupling constant and asymmetry parameter were determined at the temperatures of 180 and 300 K. The relaxation processes of ⁷Li and ³⁹K were studied for the LiKSO₄ crystal, and the relaxation times for the ⁷Li and ³⁹K nuclei exhibit remarkable changes near T_c2 (=190 K). The activation energies for ⁷Li and ³⁹K were determined in phases I and III. The large change in the activation energy at 190 K indicates that the Li and K ions are significantly affected during this transition. The correlation time of the ⁷Li calculated from the spin-lattice relaxation time and quadrupole parameters was larger than that of the ³⁹K calculated using the same method. The reason for this is that the Li ion undergoes molecular motion as in the LiO₄ groups.     

Isoabsorption and spectrometric studies of optical absorption edge in Cu6AsS5I superionic crystal

Cu₆AsS₅I single crystals were grown using chemical vapour transport method. Two low-temperature phase transitions (PT) are observed from isoabsorption studies: a first-order PT at Т_?=153±1 K and a second-order PT in the temperature interval T_?I=260–280 K. At low temperatures and high absorption levels an excitonic absorption band was revealed in the range of direct optical transitions. At Т>Т_?, the absorption edge has an exponential shape and a characteristic Urbach bundle is observed. The influence of the cationic P→As substitution on the parameters of the Urbach absorption edge, parameters of exciton–phonon interaction, and phase transitions temperatures are studied.