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Related Concept Videos

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity01:21

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity

4.3K
Unlike ionic or small covalent molecules, polymers do not form crystalline solids due to the diffusion limitations of their long-chain structures. However, polymers contain microscopic crystalline domains separated by amorphous domains.
Crystalline domains are the regions where polymer chains are aligned in an orderly manner and held together in proximity by intermolecular forces. For example, chains in the crystalline domains of polyethylene and nylon are bound together by van der Waals...
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Trends in Lattice Energy: Ion Size and Charge02:54

Trends in Lattice Energy: Ion Size and Charge

27.6K
An ionic compound is stable because of the electrostatic attraction between its positive and negative ions. The lattice energy of a compound is a measure of the strength of this attraction. The lattice energy (ΔHlattice) of an ionic compound is defined as the energy required to separate one mole of the solid into its component gaseous ions. For the ionic solid sodium chloride, the lattice energy is the enthalpy change of the process:
27.6K
Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:17

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

4.3K
Ziegler–Natta polymerization is another form of addition or chain‐growth polymerization used for synthesizing linear polymers over branched polymers. The catalyst used for polymerization is the Ziegler–Natta catalyst, named after Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta, who developed it in 1953. This catalyst is an organometallic complex of titanium tetrachloride and triethyl aluminum, with the active form of the catalyst being an alkyl titanium compound. Using the Ziegler–Natta...
4.3K
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers01:08

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers

3.0K
Step growth polymerization involves bi or multifunctional monomers. Bifunctional monomers react to form linear step growth polymers, whereas multifunctional monomers react to form non-linear or branched polymers.
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...
3.0K
Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution01:10

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

5.2K
For any given polymer, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is higher than, if not equal to, the number average molecular weight (Mn). The only situation in which the weight average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are equal is when a polymer consists only of chains with equal molecular weight. However, this never happens in a synthetic polymer, since it is difficult to control the polymerization process up to a molecular level with accuracy to a hundred percent.
5.2K
Lattice Centering and Coordination Number02:33

Lattice Centering and Coordination Number

16.1K
The structure of a crystalline solid, whether a metal or not, is best described by considering its simplest repeating unit, which is referred to as its unit cell. The unit cell consists of lattice points that represent the locations of atoms or ions. The entire structure then consists of this unit cell repeating in three dimensions. The three different types of unit cells present in the cubic lattice are illustrated in Figure 1.
Types of Unit Cells
Imagine taking a large number of identical...
16.1K

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Fabrication of Large-area Free-standing Ultrathin Polymer Films
10:08

Fabrication of Large-area Free-standing Ultrathin Polymer Films

Published on: June 3, 2015

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Lattice cluster theory for dense, thin polymer films.

Karl F Freed1

  • 1James Franck Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.

The Journal of Chemical Physics
|April 10, 2015
PubMed
Summary

A new inhomogeneous lattice cluster theory (ILCT) extends polymer blend studies to thin films. This advanced model addresses complex thermodynamic properties of polymer films, offering deeper insights into material behavior.

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science
  • Thermodynamics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Lattice cluster theory (LCT) advanced understanding of polymer blend miscibility at the molecular level.
  • Developing a corresponding theory for inhomogeneous systems, like thin polymer films, presented significant technical challenges and complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a general formulation extending LCT to describe thermodynamic properties of dense, thin polymer films.
  • To develop a theoretical framework for inhomogeneous polymer systems that overcomes previous limitations.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a high dimension, high temperature expansion for the inhomogeneous lattice cluster theory (ILCT).
  • Incorporated Helfand's "transport" constraints and strict excluded volume constraints for dense polymer systems.

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Towards Biomimicking Wood: Fabricated Free-standing Films of Nanocellulose, Lignin, and a Synthetic Polycation

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Cooling Rate Dependent Ellipsometry Measurements to Determine the Dynamics of Thin Glassy Films
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Cooling Rate Dependent Ellipsometry Measurements to Determine the Dynamics of Thin Glassy Films

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Cooling Rate Dependent Ellipsometry Measurements to Determine the Dynamics of Thin Glassy Films
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Cooling Rate Dependent Ellipsometry Measurements to Determine the Dynamics of Thin Glassy Films

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  • The leading order ILCT for a film with L layers requires solving 3(L-1) coupled, nonlinear equations for density profiles.

    • Main Results:

    • Computed density, parallel/perpendicular bond, and chain end profiles for free-standing and supported films.
    • Analyzed the influence of average film density, chain length, temperature, substrate interaction, and chain stiffness.
    • Results demonstrated general agreement with expected trends in polymer film behavior.

    Conclusions:

    • The inhomogeneous lattice cluster theory (ILCT) provides a powerful new tool for analyzing the thermodynamic properties of thin polymer films.
    • This theoretical advancement enables detailed study of molecular-scale phenomena in confined polymer systems.
    • ILCT offers a more rigorous approach compared to theories focusing on chain connectivity at lower densities.