The crystallization of a polyethylene with precise chlorine substitution on each and every 15th backbone carbon displays a drastic change in crystalline structure in a narrow interval of crystallization temperatures. The structural change occurs within one degree of undercooling and is accompanied by a sharp increase in melting temperature, a change in WAXD patterns, and a dramatic increase in TG conformers around the Cl substitution while the main CH2 sequence remains with the all-trans packing. These changes correlate with the formation of two different polymorphs characterized by a different packing and distribution of Cl atoms in the crystallites. Under fast crystallization kinetics, the chains assemble in an all-trans planar packing (form I) with a layered Cl distribution that presents some longitudinal disorder, while slower crystallization rates favor a more structured intermolecular halogen staggering consistent with a herringbone-like nonplanar structure (form II). The drastic change in morphology is enabled by the precise halogen placement in the chain and appears to be driven by the selection of the nucleus stem length in the initial stages of the crystallization. Exquisite kinetic control of the crystallization in novel polyolefins of this nature allows models for generating new materials based on nanostructures at the lamellar and sublamellar level not feasible in classical branched polyethylenes.

Using two living nickel α-diimine complexes (rac-1 and rac-4) activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO), isotactic polypropylene (iPP) samples containing five types of regiodefects were synthesized. Both isolated and successive groups of (2,1) and (3,1) enchainments were identified by solution-state 13C NMR spectroscopy. The extended monomer and bulky nature of these defects add some restraints to the crystallinity level that can be achieved in these polymer samples. The complex based on a cumyl-derived ligand, rac-4, produces higher molecular weight iPP with a higher content of bulky defects than rac-1. Melting temperatures and crystallinity levels of rac-4-derived iPP are accordingly lower than the polymers obtained from rac-1. Although the nature of the chain-walking defect is similar to the addition of the ethylene unit, the difference in polymer properties is profound. At equivalent point defects per total monomers (X B), iPP samples with chain-walking defects display lower melting temperatures and much lower degrees of crystallinity than random 1-alkene copolymers, including those with comonomers excluded from the crystal lattice such as the 1-hexene and 1-octene counits. Furthermore, iPP containing (3,1) regiodefects develops significantly higher contents of the γ-polymorph than any other iPP or random copolymer with a matched X B composition. The experimental evidence is consistent with shorter crystallizable sequences for iPP with chain-walking defects based on (3,1) enchainments. Taking crystallizable and noncrystallizable total units as the basis to compute point defects, the properties of (3,1) iPP adhere to the basis of exclusion equilibrium theory, indicating that the defects are random-bulky or generated in a random fashion but of a defined extended/multimonomer nature.

Detailed crystal structure analysis has been carried out for four crystalline forms (I, I′, II, and high-temperature phase, HT) of uniaxially oriented specimens from a novel polyethylene-like polymer, −[(CH 2 ) 20 −CHBr] n − on the basis of the 2-dimensional Xray diffraction patterns and polarized FTIR spectral data. This polymer has Br atoms placed regularly on each and every 21st backbone carbon. The precise Br placement along the polyethylene backbone allows drastically different chain conformation and chain packing modes between the group of forms I and I′ and the group of form II and HT phase. In forms I and I′, the molecule is fully extended adopting a planar all-trans zigzag conformation with layers of Br atoms normal to the chain axis. Conformational disorder and mismatch in relative height of Br atom between the neighboring chains distinguish form I from form I′. In forms II and HT phase, the molecular chains bend at the Br substitutional point and take a large zigzag form consisting of long methylene segmental arms. The molecular bends are caused by the generation of nonplanar gauche conformers at the C−C bonds adjacent to the CHBr groups, while the CH 2 segments maintain the all-trans conformation. The major difference between form II and HT is conformational disorder within the methylene runs. Heating at T < 65 °C under unrestrained condition causes an irreversible transition from form I′ to form I, and form I transforms irreversibly to form II in a narrow temperature range of 65−66 °C. The higher temperature heating induces the reversible and apparently continuous transition of form II to the HT phase. On the other hand, the tensile stretching at room temperature causes the irreversible transition of forms I and II to the form I′.

We report that synthetic RADA16-I peptide transforms to β-strand secondary structure and develops intermolecular organization into β-sheets when stored in the solid state at room temperature. Secondary structural changes were probed using solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (ssNMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Intermolecular organization was analyzed via wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Observed changes in molecular structure and organization occurred on the time scale of weeks during sample storage at room temperature. We observed structural changes on faster time scales by heating samples above room temperature or by addition of water. Analysis of hydration effects indicates that water can enhance the ability of the peptide to convert to β-strand secondary structure and assemble into β-sheets. However, temperature dependent FTIR and time dependent WAXD data indicate that bound water may hinder the assembly of β-strands into β-sheets. We suggest that secondary structural transformation and intermolecular organization together produce a water-insoluble state. These results reveal insights into the role of water in self-assembly of polypeptides with hydrophilic side chains, and have implications on future optimization of RADA16-I nanofiber production.