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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/L18549/01
Title: CRYSTALLIZATION AND CHAIN FOLDING IN LONG N-ALKANES
Principal Investigator: Ungar, Professor G
Other Investigators:
Spells, Dr SJ
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Materials Science and Engineering
Organisation: University of Sheffield
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 18 October 1996 Ends: 17 October 1998 Value (£): 113,231
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
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Summary on Grant Application Form
We propose to study the structure and growth mechanism of chain-folded crystals of the long monodisperse n-alkanes recently synthesised at Durham. Structural studies (i) will focus on the fold surface which, in alkanes, is unobscured by the amorphous overlayer characteristic of polydisperse polymers. The studies will utilise small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and IR and Raman LAM spectroscopies. Primary (NIF) and secondary (IF) forms will be investigated, as will the effects of polydispersity, branching, end-group substitution and temperature. Crystallisation studies (ii) will explore further the phenomenon of 'self-poisoning' discovered in the original alkane study. Furthermore, chain-length dependence of the crystal growth barrier will be investigated systematically for the first time. Predictions of new crystallisation 'anomalies' will be tested. Raman spectroscopy studies (iii) will test the Strobl-Eckel model of LAM and attempt to obtain an improved estimate of the intrinsic LAM linewidth.
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Organisation Website: http://www.shef.ac.uk