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Quasi-continuous melting of model polymer monolayers prompts reinterpretation of polymer melting

Author

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  • Ruibin Zhang

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University
    University of Sheffield
    Zhejiang Sci-Tech University)

  • William S. Fall

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University
    University of Sheffield)

  • Kyle Wm. Hall

    (Temple University)

  • Gillian A. Gehring

    (University of Sheffield)

  • Xiangbing Zeng

    (University of Sheffield)

  • Goran Ungar

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University
    Zhejiang Sci-Tech University)

Abstract

Condensed matter textbooks teach us that melting cannot be continuous and indeed experience, including with polymers and other long-chain compounds, tells us that it is a strongly first-order transition. However, here we report nearly continuous melting of monolayers of ultralong n-alkane C390H782 on graphite, observed by AFM and reproduced by mean-field theory and MD simulation. On heating, the crystal-melt interface moves steadily and reversibly from chain ends inward. Remarkably, the final melting point is 80 K above that of the bulk, and equilibrium crystallinity decreases continuously from ~100% to

Suggested Citation

  • Ruibin Zhang & William S. Fall & Kyle Wm. Hall & Gillian A. Gehring & Xiangbing Zeng & Goran Ungar, 2021. "Quasi-continuous melting of model polymer monolayers prompts reinterpretation of polymer melting," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-21799-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21799-9
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