Conformational Energies of Polymers

Abstract

The difference in energy between different conformational states of macromolecules is a fundamental characteristic, in addition to molecular geometry, which determines the physical properties of chain molecules. Chain dimensions and the temperature dependence of chain dimensions¹ in solution and in the bulk are dependent upon the energy states of the chain backbone. For simplicity, only two energy states of the carbon to carbon backbone bonds of vinyl chains will be considered and the gauche state is assumed to be higher energy than the stable trans state.