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APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. Lett. » Volume 85 » Issue 20
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 4397–4400 (2000)

Dilution Wave and Negative-Order Crystallization Kinetics of Chain Molecules

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G. Ungar1,*, P. K. Mandal1,†, P. G. Higgs2, D. S. M. de Silva1, E. Boda1, and C. M. Chen2,‡
1Department of Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, United Kingdom
2School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom

Received 17 April 2000; published in the issue dated 13 November 2000

See accompanying Physics Focus

We show that the crystal growth rate of a very long-chain n-alkane C198H398 from solution can decrease with increasing supersaturation and follow strongly negative order kinetics. The experimental behavior can be well represented by a theoretical model which allows the molecule to attach and detach as either extended or folded in two. The obstruction of extended-chain growth by unstable folded depositions increases disproportionately with increasing concentration. As a consequence of this abnormal kinetics, a “dilution wave” can propagate and trigger a folded-to-extended-chain transformation on its way.

© 2000 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.4397
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.4397
PACS:
87.15.Nn, 64.70.Dv, 81.10.Aj, 81.10.Dn

*To whom correspondence should be addressed.Electronic address: g.ungar@sheffield.ac.uk

†On leave from Department of Physics, University of North Bengal, Siliguri-734430, India.

‡Present address: Department of Physics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.

 
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