Local order in liquid n-alkanes:: Evidence from Raman spectroscopic study

The study of the temperature-dependent Raman spectra of n-alkanes from the solid through melting and in the melt phase reveals that short intermolecular correlation can occur in the melt forming at T-m and just above T-m a sizable concentration of extended trans C-C bonds sequences. The mean length of these trans sequences is not less than approximately 5 units. The implications of these observations regarding the mechanism of crystallization of n-alkanes are discussed.