The thermal behaviour of low‐molecular‐weight poly(3‐decylthiophene)

Abstract
A detailed study on the thermal behaviour of low‐molecular‐weight poly(3‐decylthiophene) (Mw = 5700 by gel permeation chromatography) was performed using differential scanning calorimetry, X‐ray diffraction, optical microscopy and FTIR techniques. A polymorphism for this polymer was clearly shown: namely two different crystalline phases and a mesophase, probably nematic. A structural model for a 3‐dimensional phase was derived. Finally the conditions under which each phase can be obtained were determined.