Observation of novel liquid-crystalline phase above the bulk-melting temperature.
In this paper, we show that a noncrystalline but ordered smectic-like phase exists above the bulk-melting temperature (T(m)) at poly(n-alkyl acrylates)-air interface. The surface ordered phase is one monolayer thick and undergoes a sharp transition from order to disorder 10 degrees C above T(m) for n=22. The presence of a surface phase that does not exist in the bulk has important implications in the design of thermally responsive adhesives.
Gautam
Keshav S
KS
Department of Polymer Science, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, USA.
Kumar
Satyendra
S
Wermeille
Didier
D
Robinson
Doug
D
Dhinojwala
Ali
A