Helical structures, polymer chain conformation

An LCAO (linear combination of atomic orbitals) local-density functional approach was used to calculate the band structures of a series of polymer chain conformations unsubstituted polysilane in the all-trans conformation and in a 411 helical conformation, and all-trans poly(dimethylsilane). Calculated absorption spectra predict a highly anisotropic absorption for the all-trans conformation of polysilane, with the threshold absorption peak arising strictly from polarizations parallel to the chain axis. The absorption spectrum for the helical conformation is much more isotropic. Results for the dimethyl-substituted polysilane chain suggest that the states immediately surrounding the Fermi level retain their silicon-backbone a character upon alkyl-group substitution, although the band gap decreases by I eV because of contributions from alkyl substituent states both below the valence band and above the conduction band to the frontier states. 

The secondary structure describes the molecular shape or conformation of the polymer chain. For most linear polymers this shape approaches a helical or pleated skirt (or sheet) arrangement depending on the nature of the polymer, treatment, and function. Examples of secondary structures appear in Figure 2.13. 

In this section we will discuss the molecular structure of this polymer based on our results mainly from the solid-state 13C NMR, paying particular attention to the phase structure [24]. This polymer has somewhat different character when compared to the crystalline polymers such as polyethylene and poly(tetrameth-ylene) oxide discussed previously. Isotactic polypropylene has a helical molecular chain conformation as the most stable conformation and its amorphous component is in a glassy state at room temperature, while the most stable molecular chain conformation of the polymers examined in the previous sections is planar zig-zag form and their amorphous phase is in the rubbery state at room temperature. This difference will reflect on their phase structure. 

As pointed out above with relation to the data at 87 °C, the Tic of the crystalline-amorphous interphase is appreciably longer than that of the amorphous phase, suggesting the retention of the helical molecular chain conformation in the interphase. We also note that a Tic of 65-70 s for the crystalline phase is significantly shorter than that for other crystalline polymers such as polyethylene and poly-(tetramethylene oxide), whose crystalline structure is comprised of planar zig-zag molecular-chain sequences. In the crystalline region composed of helical molecular chains, there may be a minor molecular motion in the TiC frame, with no influence on the crystalline molecular alignment that is detected by X-ray diffraction analyses. Such a relatively short TiC of the crystalline phase may be a character of the crystalline structure that is formed by helical molecular chain sequences. 

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