Raman studies of quenched cyclohexane: A plastic crystal glass

Abstract

By rapidly quenching the plastic crystal cyclohexane (C6H12) to 77 K we obtain a "plastic crystal glass" i.e. the rotational disorder is frozen in. Raman active vibrational spectra of the glass yield sharp lines, for reasons discussed. The spectra are compared to the equilibrium spectra obtained by slow cooling. We also follow the annealing of the glass as a function of time at different temperatures. The time dependence is consistent with the production of nuclei of the equilibrium crystal without growth of these nuclei. © 1984.