Basic research will be carried out on thermal properties of solid and liquid phases, kinetics of phase transitions, conformationally disordered phases, and strained molecules in phase boundaries. Thermal properties research is to connect to prior work that led to a data bank with information on Cp, H, S and G on about a hundred polymers. Experimentation is to continue and expand by building a 10-300 K scanning calorimeter, an instrument not available in this country. The theory of heat capacity is to be advanced by the study of skeletal vibrations and anharmonicity. The kinetics of phase transitions are to be followed by simulation of molecular nucleation on a supercomputer using molecular dynamics, and by collection of further data on segregation on crystallization. Condis crystals are to be studied by thermal analysis (entropy evaluation), solid-state NMR (motion assessment), X-ray and neutron scattering (structure determination) and computer simulation (understanding of roto- repartition). The strained molecules, finally, are to be quantitatively evaluated by thermal analysis (rigid amorphous fraction), solid-state NMR (motion), and energy-sensitive electron microscopy (location of rigid molecule parts). Overall, these projects are designed to advance materials characterization and understanding of properties and processes in polymeric as well an nonpolymeric substances.
