“Nematocrystalline”Chain Packing: Three-Dimensional Structure of Low Molecular Weight Linear Polyethylene

Electron crystallography of the polymethylene chain. 5. Three-dimensional structure of a Fischer-Tropsch wax

The crystal structure of a Fischer-Tropsch wax, Shell Callista 158, has bee determined in three dimensions from electron diffractio intensity data. Although there is an orthorhombic layer arrangement with apparent dimensions, a = 7.42, b = 4.96, c = 94.50 Å, true lamellae cannot form, due to a ‘nematocrystalline’ arrangement of very long chain components,generating a continuous chain direction through adjacent chain layer clusters. The structure is actually a superlattice of the Pnam cell observed for high molecular weight polyethylene.

Electron crystallography of organic materials

The application of electron crystallography to the study of organic materials is reviewed, mainly in context of the author's own experience. Direct methods for crystallographic phase determination have been shown to be very effective for ab initio structure analyses with electron diffraction intensities, permitting the elucidation of previously uncharacterized crystal structures. Fruitful applications areas have included chain-folded linear polymers, pigments, polydisperse linear chain arrays and, surprisingly, the subgroup assembly of certain proteins.