title: Observation of novel liquid-crystalline phase above the bulk-melting temperature.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, USA.
authors.forename: Keshav S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Gautam
authors.forename: Satyendra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wermeille
authors.forename: Doug
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dhinojwala