Morphology evolution in superheated crystal monolayer of low molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) on mica surface

Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) coupled with a hot stage, we studied the morphological evolution of superheated poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) crystal monolayer on the mica surface. The PEO possesses a number average molecular weight (Mn) of 4250g/mol and a polydispersity of 1.03. The superheated monolayer was obtained when the entire periphery of a triply-folded chain crystal [IF(3)] was thickened to be a twice-folded chain crystal [IF(2)] …