Morphology and structure of heavily deformed single crystals of a polydiacetylene. II. Resonance raman and optical spectroscopy

Resonance Raman and optical spectroscopy have been used to study foils having a metallic appearance which were produced by the hammering or rolling of single crystals of toluene sulfonate diacetylene polymer. The spectroscopic properties of the bulk material in the foils were found to be almost indistinguishable from those of underformed crystals. In contrast, the blue–green surface skin of the foils appeared to consist of intact polymer chains without significant crystalline order.     

Structure and morphology of heavily deformed single crystals of a polydiacetylene. I. Electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction

The structure and morphology of heavily deformed single crystals of a diacetylene polymer have been studied using a combination of x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Crystals have been deformed by both rolling and hammering. The crystals remain intact during deformation and can be reduced in thickness by a factor of over 5 in directions perpendicular to their chain axes. It is found that the chain orientation is maintained during both hammering and rolling. A greenish-colored surface skin develops during both types of deformation but the structure of the interior of the crystals depends upon the type of deformation employed. The interior of the hammered crystals consists of crystal blocks ca. 50 μm thick formed by cleavage perpendicular to the chain direction whereas the rolled crystals tend to be fibrous with no evidence of molecular fracture. The possible deformation mechanisms which have given rise to the different structures have been discussed.     

Electro-reflectance spectra of one-dimensional excitons in polydiacetylene crystals

Electro-reflectance spectra are reported for two spectroscopically-distinct forms of a polydiacetylene, poly(5,7-decadiyne-1,12-diol-bis phenylurethane). An electric field parallel to the polymer chain axis produces in both types of single crystals (1) a Stark shift of the main absorption peak and (2) a new absorption peak on the high energy side of the main peak. Using a one-dimensional exciton model, the main peak is assigned to the lowest ^tB_u exciton and the field-induced peak is assigned to the higher dipole-forbidden ^tA_g exciton, both associated with the one-dimensional π-electron bands on the polymer chains.     

Deformation and microstructure of extended-chain polydiacetylene crystals

The mechanical properties (Young's modulus, ultimate tensile strength, deformation processes) of extended-chain polydiacetylene crystals are investigated. The properties observed are similar to those of metal and ceramic whiskers. The elastic modulus is strain-dependent and the ultimate tensile strength increases with decreasing crystal size. The maximum tensile strength observed was 1700 Nmm^?2. The ultimate tensile strength seems to be controlled by the presence of a small number of defects near the surface at which fracture nucleates. Irreversible deformation of the crystals was observed to occur by crack propagation normal and parallel to the direction of the macromolecules. The observed mechanical behavior corresponds to exceptionally high per-chain properties. The per-chain modulus obtained for these crystals is nearly as high as that of diamond. A chain-aligned polyethylene fiber with the same per-chain mechanical properties would have an ultimate strength as high as 0.9 × 10⁴ Nmm^?2.     

Dielectric properties of single crystals of the substituted diacetylene pTS: effect of the solid-state polymerization and phase transitions

Dielectric permittivities of the polymerizable organic solid, pTS diacetylene have been measured between 115 and 330 K in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the direction of polymer chain growth. The upper phase transition in monomer, polymer and mixed crystals at various stages of the solid-state polymerization manifests itself as a maximum in the temperature dependence of ε measured in the direction parallel to the molecular stacks, being particularly well pronounced in fully polymerized crystals. The transition was identified as an antiferroelectric one, the sublattice polarization being most probably the order parameter. The lower phase transition could be observed only in monomer and monomer-rich crystals as a shoulder on the ε(T) dependence. This transition could be detected only in the crystals containing less than ≈ 10–15% of polymer. The dielectric permittivity was found to be independent of frequency up to 3 GHz. The polymerization results in changes of the dielectric permittivity. In samples where the direction of measurements coincides with the b axis, these changes follow the monomer-polymer conversion curve.     

Space charge limited currents in one-dimensional systems. The electron mobility in polydiacetylene crystals

A theory for space charge limited currents in electronically one-dimensional solids is given; it is applied to polydiacetylene single crystals which form electronically one-dimensional high-mobility semiconductors. The theory allows the current to vary as the square of the applied voltage even if the carrier drift velocity is saturated.     

Thermal expansion of a polydiacetylene single crystal

Summary Fractural length changes l/l of a polydiacetylene (toluene sulfonate) single crystal and its monomer have been measured along the crystallographica-,b-, andc-direction in the temperature range 100 to 400 K. Small steps in the temperature dependence of l/l at 194 K for the polymer and 159 K for the monomer are assumed to be caused by a well known phase transition. From the volume coefficient of thermal expansion the bulk Grüneisenparameter _b has been calculated. Temperature dependence as well as absolute values of _b for the polymer crystal are found to be in accordance with current theories assuming that both inter and intrachain vibrations strongly influence the thermoelastic behaviour of polymer crystals.

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Zusammenfassung Die relative Längenänderung l/l eines Polydiacetylen (Toluolsulfonat) Einkristalls und des zugehörigen Monomerkristalls wurde entlang der kristallographischena-,b-undc-Richtung im Temperaturbereich 100 bis 400 K gemessen. Kleine Stufen im Temperaturverlauf von l/l bei 194 K für den Polymerkristall und bei 159 K für den Monomerkristall werden als Einfluß einer bekannten Phasenumwandlung gedeutet. Aus dem Volumenausdehnungskoeffizienten wurde der Bulk-Grüneisenparameter _b berechnet. Sowohl die Temperaturabhängigkeit als auch absolute Werte von _b für den Polymerkristall befinden sich in Einklang mit theoretischen Modellen, wenn man annimmt, daß sowohl Inter- als auch Intrakettenschwingungen das thermoelastische Verhalten von Polymerkristallen beeinflussen.

     

Transient photoconductivity of a polydiacetylene single crystal

Pulsed photoconductivity results are presented for single crystals of a fully-conjugated polymer, poly-2,4-hexadiyne-1,6-diol bis(p-toluene sulfonate). Carriers of both sign are observed and are found to have essentially identical action spectra with a photoconduction onset around 3 eV. Upper and lower limits could be placed on the charge carrier mobilities normal to the (011) crystallographic plain, which is roughly the polymer chain direction: 3 ? μ_e,h ? 10^?3 cm²/V s. The mobilities normal to the chain are about a factor of 10 less. The carrier lifetimes are about 0.5 μs for both holes and electrons but strongly dependent on the method of polymerization of the precursor monomer crystals.     

Dependence of the spectrum and decay of transient photoinduced reflectance change on excitation wavelength and intensity in polydiacetylene single crystals

Transient reflectance changes in a polydiacetylene-toluene-sulfonate (PDA-TS) single crystal were found to be induced by pulsed excitations at 2.33 eV (532 nm), 3.49 eV (355 nm), and 4.66 eV (266 nm). The negative reflectance change around 1.4 eV, observed only by excitations at 4.66 and 3.49 eV was attributed to the lowest excited triplet state formed by the recombination of charge carriers.     

Negative thermal expansion of a polydiacetylene single crystal

Macroscopic thermal expansion in the chain direction has been measured for the first time on organic polymeric single crystals. Negative linear thermal expansion coefficients αM are reported and related to chain torsional motion and equilibrium point-defect formation for a solid-state polymerized phase of 2,4-hexadiyne-1,6-diol bisphenylurethane (HDU) which contains crystallographically located interstitial dioxane and for a dioxanefree phase obtained by thermal annealing. Data for as-polymerized single crystals (which are probably of extended chain morphology) between ?50 and 100°C give αM = ?(1.686 ± 0.039) × 10^?5 ? (1.35 ± 0.18) × 10^?7 t with t in °C. During volatilization of 11.7 ± 1.0 wt-% interstitial dioxane and a resulting crystal structure change, the as-polymerized fibers fibrillate and shrink irreversibly by 0.16 ± 0.04%. Although dichroism and diffraction measurements indicate both a high degree of crystallinity and chain alignment for the dioxane-free phase, the average thermal expansion coefficient, (?3.0 ± 1.0) × 10^?6 °C^?1 between ?50 and 150°C, is about an order of magnitude less than for the as-polymerized single crystals.     

Defects of colloidal crystals

Reasons for the appearance of defects of various types in crystalline colloidal structures formed during the self-organization of the ensembles of spherical nanoparticles are analyzed using lyosols of metal nanoparticles stabilized with polymers as examples. Quantitative characteristic of the degree of imperfection of colloidal crystals is proposed and the procedures for the minimization of the degree of imperfection are discussed. Order-disorder phase transitions of colloidal crystals are studied.     

Crystallinity and the effect of ionizing radiation in polyethylene. II. Crosslinking in chain-folded single crystals

In order to ascertain whether the crystal core of irradiated polyethylene single crystals is free from crosslinks—as would follow from the results of Part I—the fold surface of irradiated single crystals was shaved off with ozone and the resulting product examined by GPC for molecular weight. It was found that on ozone degradation the entire material, which had been insolubilized by radiation-induced crosslinking, has become soluble hence became available for the GPC analysis. The chromatograms displayed the same peaked development with degradation as the unirradiated crystals leading eventually to single traverse dicarboxylic acids. This proves the absence of crosslinks within the crystal interior of the material as examined by GPC. The appearance of some additional low molecular weight material, is attributed to scission at the radiation-induced double bonds due to ozone which eliminates the possibility of the existence of crosslinks within the lattice such as might provide scission sites for ozone. The conclusion could therefore be reached that, to the extent assessable by our GPC test, there are no radiation-induced crosslinks within the crystal lattice, hence the crosslinks produced must be entirely confined to the fold surface region of the crystals.     

Defects in liquid crystals and cosmology

Defects are a universal feature in systems of broken equally well in liquid crystals and cosmological theories in both systems are reviewed. It is reported crystals to check theories on the defect evolution of the early universe and how in this way they have contributed considerably to the insight liquid crystals. symmetry. They occur for example field theories. The basic facts of defect how cosmologists have used liquid into defect creation and dynamics in     

Anisotropy of electrical properties of a polydiacetylene single crystal

The electrical properties of PDA single crystals are found to be highly anisotropic. The ratio of the charge carrier mobility parallel and perpendicular to the chain axis measured in the (100) crystal-plane is (8 ± 3) × 10². The quantum yield for photoelectric charge carrier generation is by a factor of 10² higher when the field is parallel to the chain.     

Aluminium-doped LiFePO4 single crystals. Part II. Ionic conductivity, diffusivity and defect model

We report on lithium ion conductivity and diffusivity along major crystallographic directions of Al-doped LiFePO4 single crystals. Impedance spectroscopy as well as galvanostatic polarization measurements have been carried out on the electronically blocking symmetric cell LiAl/LiI/LiFe(Al)PO4/LiI/LiAl. Neither ionic conductivity nor lithium diffusivity show anisotropy in the bc planes within the experimental error, but much lower values in the a-direction. Similar features were observed earlier by us for the pure single-crystal and the Si-doped single crystal. On Al-doping the ionic conductivity has increased while the electronic conductivity has decreased compared to undoped LiFePO4. Not only this donor doping effect but also the temperature dependence of ionic conductivity and of lithium-diffusivity are successfully interpreted in terms of lithium vacancies, holes and associates in the framework of a detailed defect chemical analysis. Ion-electron as well as ion-ion associates play a significant role in this system.     

Motion and recombination of charge carriers in a polydiacetylene single crystal

From photocurrent transients excited by a ruby laser γ/μ = (6.3±1.5) × 10^–6 V cm is derived for the ratio of carrier recombination coefficient to mobility in polydiacetylene-bis (toluenesulfonate) single crystals. The sum of electron and hole mobility in chain direction is 2.8 cm²/V s with a uncertainly of a factor of 2 in both directions.     

NMR study of molecular motion in oriented long-chain alkanes. II. Oriented mats of polyethylene single crystals

Measurements of the NMR second moment of a uniaxially oriented sample of polyethylene single crystals in the range of temperatures from ?196°C to 130°C and its dependence on the alignment angle γ between the orientation axis (preferential direction of the molecular chains) and the NMR magnetic field are presented. The experimental results are discussed mainly with respect to the high temperature relaxation, called the α process, in polyethylene. They are compared to theoretical predictions made for a number of mechanisms of molecular motion in Part I of this work. Only one of the mechanisms considered is found to be in quantitative agreement with experiment, the mechanism here referred to as flip-flop motion. This consists of thermally activated rotational jumps of the crystalline chain segment between folds around its axis between two equilibrium sites in the lattice. Each rotational jump through 180° is accompanied by a shift of the molecule along its axis by one CH₂ group. The discussion of the low-temperature relaxation of polyethylene, the γ process, is based partly on the above measurements and partly on measurements of second moments for unoriented polyethylene samples varying widely in morphology and noncrystalline content. The decrease of the second moment observed with these samples between ?196°C and 20°C is taken as a measure of the intensity of the γ process. A linear correlation is found between the decrease in the second moment, designated ΔS, and the noncrystalline content, 1 ? α_m; this can be represented by ΔS = 1.4 + 22.1(1 ? α_m). It is shown that neither the crankshaft mechanism not the kink mechanism is able to account quantitatively for this result. The model of a chain end moving in a vacancy fails to adequately describe the angle dependence of ΔS in oriented polyethylene single crystals. The “sandwich model” of a polyethylene single crystal, in which the crystalline core is covered by noncrystalline surface layers, is in better agreement with observations.     

Morphology of polypropylene crystals. II. Twinning of lamellar crystals

Twinned crystals were obtained from fractionated isotactic polypropylene of M?_w = 600,000 by isothermal crystallization at 130°C. for 20 hr. from dilute α-chloronaphthalene solution (0.005 wt.-%). Electron microscopic observations confirm that the molecular chains of polypropylene lamellar crystals extend along the [100] direction while the folding itself occurs within the (010) planes in the monoclinic crystal form. On this basis it is shown that polypropylene forms twinned crystals in which the composition plane is the (1k0) planes. It can be deduced that the formation of twin nucleus occurs before twinning, and then growth occurs from the neighboring region of the crystal boundary by chain folding along the [100] direction.     

Single-molecule single crystals

Various approaches to the preparation and verification of single-molecule single crystals are discussed for polyethylene and poly (oxyethylene). Analytic tools are electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. The main difficulty in producing a single-molecule single crystal is to keep crystals from joining during growth.     

Single-chain single crystals

Single-chain single crystals of isotactic polystyrene and poly(ethylene oxide) were studied by using transmission electron microscopy, high resolution electron microscopy, electron diffraction. Single-chain single crystals were prepared by spreading a dilute solution of polymers on a water surface and collecting the resulting single-chain particles on copper grids, followed by isothermal crystallization. A statistical analysis of the sizes of single-chain crystals was found to match with the known molecular weight distribution of original sample, indicating the particles to be composed of single chain. Observation of the morphology and electron diffraction gave evidence of the single crystal nature. Regular-shaped single-chain crystals were obtained after isothermal crystallization for a longer time. By close observation, several types of morphologies were found for single-chain crystals of isotactic polystyrene and poly(ethylene oxide); in addition to the conventional morphologies observed for multi-chain crystals, new morphologies were observed in both cases. The morphologies of poly(ethylene oxide) were explained according to the crystal structure and twin modes. Tent-like single-chain crystals were often observed. Because of the small size of the crystals, they can avoid collapse on the substrate. The crystalline c-axis of single-chain crystals were found to orient preferably in the direction normal to the substrate. The investigation of electron diffraction and high resolution electron microscopy revealed that the structure of the single-chain crystals of isotactic polystyrene is the same as for multi-chain crystals. A reasonable explanation is given for the unusual resistance to electron irradiation and the missing of lower-index reflections. Regular periodic stripes were found on the top surface of single-chain crystal of isotactic polystyrene with an average periodic length in accordance with (220) spacing. In addition, a statistical thermodynamics theory was developed for single-chain crystal. It is found that the equilibrium dimensions are related to molecular weight and annealing temperature, while the equilibrium melting temperature depends on molecular weight.