| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/A11199/02 |
| Title: |
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY OF POLYMER CRYSTALLIZATION |
| Principal Investigator: |
Hobbs, Professor J |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Chemistry |
| Organisation: |
University of Sheffield |
| Scheme: |
Advanced Fellowship (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 January 2004 |
Ends: |
31 August 2006 |
Value (£): |
101,020
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Characterisation |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The way in which polymers crystallize is of considerable industrial significance as it controls both their processibility and final properties. It is also an area of ever increasing academic interest combining the rich subject areas of phase transformations, soft solids and complex fluids. Our understanding of polymer crystallizaiton has been hindered by an inability to obtain real space information on the fundamental length and time scales of the process. Recent developments in atomic force microscopy are now allowing us to access this information. This project will utilise these recently developed techniques to follow the crystallization and melting of a number of industrially significant and model polymers, from both quiescent and processed melts, in-situ, in real-time. By following the evolution of the individual lamellar crystallites, as a function of chain chemistry, chain length and crystallization temperature, invaluable new data on the kinetics of growth and the route taken during the transformation from melt to the final crystal form, will be obtained. This work, building on successful preliminary experiments, will provide unambiguous information to test existing theories and to inform the development of an improved theoretical understanding.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.shef.ac.uk |