Refined Infrared Spectroscopy to Study Molecular Orientation and Order in Heterogeneous Polymer Systems (B08)

我们将使用先进的红外显微镜和光谱技术来研究限制条件对大分子有序性的影响。特别是，我们将(I)使用红外显微镜将红外光谱与快速扫描芯片量热法相结合。该装置将允许在同一样品快速温度淬火后，利用红外吸收同时测量热容量。这些特点使得组合方法非常适合于探索均匀成核的分子前体；(Ii)新开发的红外转变矩取向分析方法允许确定特定结构部分的取向，并可以研究例如外延衬底上的表面诱导结晶。(Iii)由于高灵敏度的掠射角，红外反射实验允许研究中厚薄膜中埋藏的界面处的预冻。

We will employ advanced techniques of IR microscopy and spectroscopy to study the effect of constraints on the ordering of macromolecules. In particular we will (i) use an IR-microscope to combine IR-spectroscopy with Fast Scanning Chip-Calorimetry. The setup will allow simultaneous measurements of heat capacity with IR-absorption after fast temperature quenches on the identical sample. These features make the combined methods ideally suited to explore the molecular precursors of homogeneous nucleation; (ii) The newly developed method of Infrared transition moment orientational analysis allows to determine the orientation of specific structural moieties and to study e.g. surface induced crystallization on epitaxial substrates. (iii) Due to the high sensitivity grazing angle IR-reflection experiments allow to investigate prefreezing at buried interfaces in films of intermediate thickness.