Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Surface Properties of Synthesized Nanoporous Carbon and Silica Matrices
Published on: March 27, 2019
Structural transformations of even-numbered n-alkanes confined in mesopores
P Huber1, V P Soprunyuk, K Knorr
1Technische Physik, Universität des Saarlandes, D-66041 Saarbrücken, Germany. p.huber@physik.uni-saarland.de
Abstract:
The n-alkanes C12H26, C14H30, and C16H34 have been imbibed and solidified in mesoporous Vycor glass with a mean pore diameter of 10 nm. The samples have been investigated by x-ray diffractometry and calorimetric measurements. The structures and phase sequences have been determined. Apart from a reduction and the hysteresis of the melting-freezing transition, pore-confined C12 reproduces the liquid-triclinic phase sequence of the bulk material, but for C16 an orthorhombic rotator mesophase appears that in the bulk state is absent for C16 but well known from odd-numbered alkanes of similar length. In pore-confined C14 this phase shows up on cooling but not on heating.
Related Concept Videos
Constitutional Isomers of Alkanes
The linear isomer of an alkane is prefixed by the term “n”; hence a linear isomer of pentane is known as n-pentane. Based on the type of branching, some of the branched isomers are given...
Physical Properties of Alkanes
Structure of Alkanes
Hydrocarbons are the simplest organic compounds composed of carbons and hydrogens. Based on the bond order between carbons, the hydrocarbons are further classified into alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes.
Alkanes are the simplest hydrocarbons with sp3 hybrid carbon atoms. These sp3...
Structure and Bonding of Alkenes
Doubly bonded carbons are sp2 hybridized and have a trigonal planar geometry. The double bond is composed of a σ bond formed by the overlap of hybrid orbitals and a π bond produced by the lateral overlap of unhybridized 2p orbitals on both the carbons. Each carbon atom is bonded to two hydrogen atoms...
Isomerism in Alkenes
An isomer is called cis-2-butene when the methyl groups are on the same side of the double bond, and the other stereoisomer, in which methyl groups are on the opposite side of the double bond, is called trans-2-butene. The cis and trans stereoisomers are not...
Nomenclature of Alkanes
The alkane nomenclature considers the length of the carbon chain, the number, and the location of the substituent to arrive at its systematic name. The IUPAC...
