Multiple glass transitions in vapor-deposited orientational glasses of the most fragile plastic crystal Freon 113.

Abstract

We investigate by fast-scanning nanocalorimetry the formation of Freon 113 films from the vapor phase at deposition temperatures ranging from 50 to 120 K, that is, spanning above and below the transition temperature of the glassy crystal to the plastic crystal (Tgc = 72 K). Analysis of the heat capacity curves indicates that vapor deposition at T < Tgc of the highly fragile Freon 113 yields structural and orientational glasses in the as-deposited state depending on the temperature range of deposition. Interestingly, growing above Tgc produces plastic crystals with a conformational ratio C1/Cs that changes with Tdep above and below 110-120 K, the temperature at which previous works have identified the arrest of the transformations between the C1 and Cs conformers.