Crystal disruption during cooling in poly(ethylene glycol) stearyl ethers

The aim of this proposal is to obtain SAXS/WAXS-based information on the semicrystalline structure of poly(ethylene glycol) stearyl ethers during crystallization under both isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. Poly(ethylene glycol) stearyl ethers are double crystallizable diblock copolymers, in which poly(ethylene glycol), PEG, block and stearyl chain segment, SA, are able to crystallize. When cooled sufficiently fast, the crystallization of PEG follows that of SA and in some cases seems to fully disrupt the preceding SA crystallization. Through the intended SAXS/WAXS experiments insight can be gained on the mechanistic aspects of this extremely rare phenomenon.