Abstract / Description of output
Recent experiments in some polymer melts quenched below the melting temperature have reported spinodal kinetics in small-angle x-ray scattering before the emergence of a crystalline structure. To explain these observations we propose that the coupling between density and chain conformation induces a liquid-liquid binodal within the equilibrium liquid-crystalline solid coexistence region. A simple phenomenological theory is developed to illustrate this idea, and several experimentally testable consequences are discussed. Shear is shown to enhance the kinetic role of the hidden binodal.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 373-376 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 81 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 13 Jul 1998 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- DENSITY-FLUCTUATIONS
- INDUCTION PERIOD
- POLY(ETHYLENE-TEREPHTHALATE)
- SCATTERING
- CRYSTAL