Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Direct visualisation of homogeneous and heterogeneous crystallisation in an ensemble of confined domains of poly(ethylene oxide)

  • Published:
The European Physical Journal E Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

We present a study of homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation in polymer crystallisation. In bulk samples the crystallization is typically dominated by nucleation from defects (heterogeneous nucleation), and consequently studies must rely on sample preparation to minimize this effect. We present a study of nucleation within discrete droplets of poly(ethylene oxide) that are formed by the dewetting of a thin film on an unfavourable substrate. The samples provide an ensemble of impurity-free droplets, with length scales that can easily be measured. We show that the data for heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation is qualitatively different, and that the data mirrors the fundamental differences in the underlying mechanisms for the two nucleation processes. The experiments presented here provide a simple method that can be used to study heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation in great detail.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. G. Strobl, The Physics of Polymers: Concepts for Understanding their Structures and Behaviour, second edition (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1997).

  2. G. Strobl, Eur. Phys. J. E 3, 165 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. B. Lotz, Eur. Phys. J. E 3, 185 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. S.Z.D. Cheng, C.Y. Li, L. Zhu, Eur. Phys. J. E 3, 195 (2000).

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. M. Muthukumar, Eur. Phys. J. E 3, 198 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. S. Hong, W.J. MacKnight, T.P. Russell, S.P. Gido, Macromolecules 34, 2883 (2001).

    Google Scholar 

  7. B. Lotz, A.J. Kovacs, Kolloid Z. Z. Polym. 209, 97 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  8. B. Lotz, A.J. Kovacs, ACS Polym. Prepr. 10, 820 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  9. L. Zhu, B.H. Calhoun, Q. Ge, R.P. Quirk, S.Z.D. Cheng, E.L. Thomas, B.S. Hsiao, F. Yeh, L. Liu, B. Lotz, Macromolecules 34, 1244 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. P.A. Weimann, D.A. Hajduk, C. Chu, K.A. Chaffin, J.C. Brodil, F.S. Bates, J. Polym. Sci. Part B, Polym. Phys. 37, 2053 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. S. Nojima, M. Toei, S. Hara, S. Tanimoto, S. Sasaki, Polymer 43, 4087 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. C.W. Frank, V. Rao, M.M. Despotopoulou, R.F.W. Pease, W.D. Hinsberg, R.D. Miller, J.F. Rabolt, Science 273, 912 (1996).

    Google Scholar 

  13. M.M. Despotopoulou, C.W. Frank, R.D. Miller, J.F. Rabolt, Macromolecules 29, 5797 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. M.M. Despotopoulou, R.D. Miller, J.F. Rabolt, C.W. Frank, J. Polym. Sci. Part B, Polym. Phys. 34, 2335 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. J.V. Mclaren, Polymer 4, 175 (1963).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. S. Sawamura, H. Miyaji, K. Izumi, S.J. Sutton, Y. Miyamoto, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 67, 3338 (1998).

    Google Scholar 

  17. K. Izumi, G. Ping, M. Hashimoto, A. Toda, H. Miyaji, Y. Miyamoto, Y. Nakagawa, in Advances in the Understanding of Crystal Growth Mechanisms, edited by T. Nishinaga, K. Nishioka, J. Harada, A. Sasaki, H. Takei (Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 1997) p. 337.

  18. R. Pearce, G.J. Vancso, Macromolecules 30, 5843 (1997).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Yu. K. Godovsky, S.N. Magonov, Langmuir 16, 3549 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. K. Dalnoki-Veress, J.A. Forrest, M.V. Massa, A. Pratt, A. Williams, J. Polym. Sci. Part B, Polym. Phys. 38, 2564 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. M.V. Massa, K. Dalnoki-Veress, J.A. Forrest, Eur. Phys. J. E 11, 191 (2003).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Y.-L. Loo, R.A. Register, A.J. Ryan, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4120 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. G. Reiter, G. Castelein, J.-U. Sommer, A. Röttele, T. Thurn-Albrecht, Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 226101 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. K. Taguchi, H. Miyaji, K. Izumi, A. Hoshino, Y. Miyamoto, R. Kokawa, Polymer 42, 7443 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. G. Reiter, J.-U. Sommer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 3771 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. G. Reiter, J.-U. Sommer, J. Chem. Phys. 112, 4376 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. J.-U. Sommer, G. Reiter, J. Chem. Phys. 112, 4384 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Y. Sakai, M. Imai, K. Kaji, M. Tsuji, J. Cryst. Growth 203, 244, (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. J. Kressler, C. Wang, H.W. Kammer, Langmuir 13, 4407 (1997).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. R.L. Cormia, F.P. Price, D. Turnbull, J. Chem. Phys. 37, 1333 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  31. J.A. Koutsky, A.G. Walton, E. Baer, J. Appl. Phys. 38, 1832 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  32. P.J. Barham, D.A. Jarvis, A. Keller, J. Polym. Sci. Part B, Polym. Phys. 20, 1733 (1982).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. M.L. Arnal, A.J. Müller, P. Maiti, M. Hikosaka, Macromol. Chem. Phys. 201, 2493 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. A.J. Müller, M.L. Arnal, F. López-Carrasquero, Macromol. Symp. 183, 199 (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  35. P.D. Olmsted, W.C.K. Poon, T.C.B. McLeish, N.J. Terrill, A.J. Ryan, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 373 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. E.L. Heeley, C.K. Poh, W. Li, A. Maidens, W. Bras, I.P. Dolbnya, A.J. Gleeson, N.J. Terrill, J.P. Fairclough, P.D. Olmsted, R.I. Ristic, M.J. Hounslow, A.J. Ryan, Faraday Discuss. 122, 343 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. B. Vonnegut, J. Colloid Sci. 3, 563 (1948).

    Google Scholar 

  38. D. Turnbull, R.L. Cormia, J. Chem. Phys. 34, 820 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  39. C. Redon, F. Brochard-Wyart, F. Rondelez, Phys. Rev. Lett. 66, 715 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. G. Reiter, Phys. Rev. Lett. 68, 75 (1992).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. S. Herminghaus, K. Jacobs, K. Mecke, J. Bischof, M. Ibn-Elhaj, Schlagowski, Science 282, 916 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. J.A. Forrest, K. Dalnoki-Veress, J. Polym. Sci. Part B, Polym. Phys. 39, 2664 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Michael V. Massa, Kari Dalnoki-Veress, to be published (2003).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research, McMaster University, ON, L8S 4M1, Hamilton, Canada

    M. V. Massa, J. L. Carvalho & K. Dalnoki-Veress

Authors
  1. M. V. Massa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. L. Carvalho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. Dalnoki-Veress
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Dalnoki-Veress.

Additional information

Received: 1 January 2003, Published online: 30 October 2003

PACS:

61.41. + e Polymers, elastomers, and plastics - 68.55.-a Thin film structure and morphology - 81.10.-h Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Massa, M.V., Carvalho, J.L. & Dalnoki-Veress, K. Direct visualisation of homogeneous and heterogeneous crystallisation in an ensemble of confined domains of poly(ethylene oxide). Eur. Phys. J. E 12, 111–117 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2003-10045-3

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2003-10045-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation