Structures and molecular dynamics of solution-grown and melt-grown samples of n-heptatriacontane

The crystal structures and molecular dynamics of solution-grown and melt-grown polycrystalline samples of n-heptatriacontane have been investigated by employing MMR, DSC and x-ray powder diffraction techniques. The solution-grown sample has an orthorhombic structure, while the melt-grown sample is a mixture of a monoclinic and an orthorhombic structure. Three relaxation mechanisms are present in all samples, namely, threefold reorientation of methyl groups, defect motions of chain-ends between all-trans and defect orientations and twofold chain reorientations. In the high-temperature phases an additional relaxation process due to translational-rotational diffusion of chains is present.