Analysis and characterization of the transition from the Arrhenius to non-Arrhenius structural relaxation in fragile glass-forming liquids

We have studied the transition from an Arrhenius-like to a non-Arrhenius-like structural relaxation behavior in fragile glass-forming liquids. This transition is denoted by the temperature T_A that usually occurs above the melting point T_m and the dynamic crossover temperature T_B. Recent studies reveal that T_A is a characteristic temperature related with the dynamical properties of the system. However, its unambiguous determination is not easy. In this work, a method to obtain the temperature T_A from the experimental data of α-relaxation time is presented. The obtained T_A is compared with the cooperativity onset temperature T_x extracted from the bond strength–coordination number fluctuation model. The result reveals that T_A is close to T_x for fragile liquids. From the result of the present analyses combined with the linear relation T_x \(\propto\) T₀, where T₀ is the Vogel temperature, the Arrhenius crossover phenomenon in fragile liquids is linked to the low-temperature structural relaxation dynamics.     

Peroxy radicals as motional probes at the end of isolated polystyrene chains and on the cellulose surfaces in vacuum

The isolated polystyrene chains spin-labeled with peroxide radical at the free end (IPSOO) in which the chain roots were covalently bonded to the surface of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) powder were produced by mechanochemical polymerization of styrene initiated by MCC mechanoradicals. The IPSOO was used as motional probes at the ends of isolated polystyrene chains tethered on the surface of MCC powder. Two modes for the molecular motion of IPSOO were observed. One was a tumbling motion of IPSOO on the MCC surface, defined as a train state, and another was a free rotational motion of IPSOO protruding out from the MCC surface, defined as a tail state. The temperature of tumbling motion (T _tum ) of IPSOO at the train state was at 90 K with anisotropic correlation times. T _tum (90 K) is extremely low compared to the glass transition temperature (T _g ^b ; 373 K) of polystyrene in the bulk. At temperatures above 219 K, the IPSOO was protruded out from the MCC surface, and freely rotated at the tail state. The train–tail transition temperature (T _train–tail ) was estimated to be 222 K. T _tum (90 K) and T _train–tail (222 K) are due to the extremely low chain segmental density of IPSOO on the MCC surface under vacuum. The interaction between IPSOO and the MCC surface is a minor contributing factor in the mobility of IPSOO on the surface under vacuum. It was found that peroxy radicals are useful probes to characterize the chain mobility reflecting their environmental conditions.     

Glass-forming ability and thermal stability of Se<Subscript>100−x</Subscript>(Ge<Subscript>2</Subscript>Sb<Subscript>2</Subscript>Te<Subscript>5</Subscript>)<Subscript>x</Subscript> glassy alloys

Glassy Se_100?x(Ge₂Sb₂Te₅)_x (x?=?5, 10, 15 and 20) bulk alloys were prepared by melt-quenched technique and studied by using differential scanning calorimetry at different heating rates under non-isothermal condition. The detailed thermal analysis shows that the glass transition temperature (T_g) depends on heating rates and x content. In particular, it is found that the glass-forming ability, thermal stability (T_c???T_g) and crystallization activation energy (E_c) increase with increased x content in amorphous Se, whereas glass transition activation energy (E_g) and fragility index (F) decrease with increased x contents. Variation in these parameters can be explained on the basis of network-forming ability of Se and bonding arrangement among the constituent atoms of alloys.     

Thermodynamic Properties of Polyphenylquinoxaline in the Temperature Range of <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis> → 0 to 570 K

The thermodynamic properties of amorphous polyphenylquinoxaline in the temperature range of 6 to 570 K are studied via precision adiabatic vacuum calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The thermodynamic characteristics of glass transition are determined. Standard thermodynamic functions C^°_p, H°(T) ? H°(0), S°(Т) ? S°(0), and G°(T) ? H°(0) in the range of T → 0 to 570 K and the standard entropy of formation at T = 298.15 K are calculated. The low-temperature (T ≤ 50 K) heat capacity is analyzed using a multifractal model for the processing of heat capacity, fractal dimension D values are determined, and conclusions on the topological structure of the compound are drawn.     

Thermodynamic Properties of Zincate-Manganites of LaM<Subscript>2</Subscript> <Superscript>II</Superscript>ZnMnO<Subscript>6</Subscript> (М<Superscript>II</Superscript> = Mg,Ca, Sr,Ba) Composition

Temperature dependences of the heat capacity of new zincate-manganites of LaM₂^IIZnMnO₆ (M^II = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) composition are studied via experimental calorimetry in the interval of 298.15–673 K. It is found that all compounds have λ-shape effects on the curve of dependence C_p° ~ ?(T) with respect to phase transitions of the second kind. Equations for the temperature dependence of the heat capacity are derived with allowance for phase transition temperatures, and thermodynamic functions H°(T) ? H°(298.15), S°(T) and Φ^xx(T) are calculated on the basis of experimental data on C_p°(T) and the calculated S°(298.15) value.     

Dielectric properties of films of Ag-ED20 epoxy nanocomposite synthesized in situ. Temperature dependence of direct current conductivity

The influence of silver myristate used as a precursor of silver nanoparticles on the direct current conductivity σ _dc of epoxy polymer within the concentration range of ≤0.8 wt % was investigated. The value of direct current conductivity was determined on the basis of analysis of the frequency dependence of complex permittivity within the frequency range of 10^?2–10⁵ Hz. The temperature dependence of σ _dc is composed of two regions. The dependence corresponds to the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann empirical law σ _dc = σ _dc0exp{?DT ₀/(T-T ₀)} (where T ₀ is the Vogel temperature and D is the strength parameter) at temperatures higher than the glass transition temperature T _g. At the same time, T ₀ does not depend on the concentration of nanoparticles. The Arrhenius temperature dependence characterized by activation energy about 1.2 eV is observed at temperatures lower than T _g. The observed shape of the temperature dependence is related to the change in the mechanism of conductivity after “freezing” of ionic mobility at temperatures lower than T _g. The value of σ _dc is increased as the concentration of nanoparticles is raised within the temperature range of T > T _g. The obtained dependence of σ _dc on silver myristate concentration is similar to the root one, indicating the absence of percolation within the studied range of concentrations.     

Temperature-dependent AC electrical conductivity,thermal stability and different DC conductivity modelling of novel poly(vinyl cinnamate)/zinc oxide nanocomposites

Thermal analysis on organically modified Ca²⁺-montmorillonite (OMON) and its source materials—octadecylamine (ODA) and Ca²⁺-montmorillonite (Ca²⁺-Mon)—was studied using thermally stimulated current (TSC) technique. The appearance of ρ _MON peak with the T _max = 75 °C shows the ability of the developed TSC system to demonstrate the relaxation effects of dehydration in Ca²⁺-Mon. It appeared within the temperature range of DSC endothermic peak (30–100 °C) where the T _mMON = 58 °C. Segmental motions of ODA chains and structural disruptions in the modifier agent compound produced TSC α _ODA, ρ _ODA and ρ _1ODA peaks that are comparable to thermal transition and endothermic peaks in DSC profile (T _gODA, T _m1ODA and T _m2ODA). The effect of localized motion in ODA chains as revealed by the TSC β_OMON peak (T _max = ?23 °C), however, is absent in the DSC profile of OMON. It shows TSC technique has high sensitivity in detecting various relaxation behaviors at molecular level. More evidences are demonstrated by the ρ _OMON (T _max = 86 °C) and ρ _1OMON (T _max = 105 °C) peak originated from the ODA chains structures. These peaks also confirm the intercalation of the modifier cations inside the Ca²⁺-Mon gallery.     

Estimation of the parameter of the main equation of the glass transition of amorphous polymers and other amorphous substances

Parameter C from the main glass-transition equation qτ_g = C according to Nemilov’s theory has the meaning of temperature bandwidth δT_g in which the freezing of the structure of the glass-forming liquid occurs (where q is the cooling rate of a melt and δ_g is the time of structural relaxation at the glass-transition temperature). The currently used method to estimate C results in inflated values, a circumstance that is due to the assumption of the constancy of the activation energy of the glass transition in the derivation of the calculation formula. Methods of estimation of C that are in agreement with the experimental data have been considered. A calculation of the time of structural relaxation, δ_g, on the basis of the values of the parameters of the Williams–Landel–Ferry equation has been proposed.     

Transport and physicochemical parameters of polypentenamer

Physicochemical properties of a cis-polypentenamer—a hydrocarbon polymer with a low glass transition temperature (T _g = 168.8 K)—have been studied. Measurements of permeability coefficients P in rubbery material for a wide range of gases (He, H₂, O₂, N₂, CO₂, CH₄, C₂H₆, C₃H₈, and n-C₄H₁₀) indicate a high permeability of this polymer for which the values of P are only slightly lower than those of the most permeable rubber—poly(dimethylsiloxane). The method of inverse gas chromatography has been employed to estimate solubility coefficients S for n alkanes C₃–C₁₀ and cycloalkanes in cis-polypentenamer in the range from 25 to 150°C. It has been shown that the solubility coefficients linearly increase in lnS-T _cr ² coordinates, where T _cr is the critical temperature of a solute. In terms of the above correlation, the solubility coefficients of light gases have been estimated and the diffusion coefficients D of gases in the same polymer have been calculated via the formula P=DS. The free volume in cis-polypentenamer has been studied by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. The temperature dependence of the positronium lifetime τ ₃ that characterizes the size of the free volume element in a polymer demonstrates saturation at temperatures above 250 K. This effect is probably related to a rapid migration of fluctuation holes in the rubbery polymer at temperatures remote enough from its glass transition temperature.     

Thermodynamics of the sorption of organic vapors in a carbosilane dendrimer and a hyperbranched polymer

Fluorinated derivatives of the carbosilane G6 dendrimer and the hyperbranched polymer of the same chemical structure are synthesized and characterized via the method of inverse gas chromatography. For various organic compounds (n-alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, partially fluorinated and perfluorinated organic compounds), the following thermodynamic parameters of their interaction with the above polymers are defined: solubility coefficient S, the sorption enthalpy, the partial molar enthalpy of mixing, the Flory-Huggins parameter, and the solubility parameter. The thermodynamic behavior of vapors in the dendrimer is similar to that in the hyperbranched polymer. For a dendrimer and a hyperbranched polymer, a linear correlation between the logarithm of S and T _cr ² is established, where T _cr is the critical temperature of a probe. For both polymers, the partial enthalpy of mixing of n-alkanes is shown to be independent of the dimensions of the probe molecules. This behavior is typical of the vapor sorption in linear polymers at temperatures above the glass transition temperature.     

Synthesis,crystal structure,and hydrogen-bonded displacive-type structural phase transition of guanidine dichloroacetate

Guanidine dichloroacetate was synthesized and separated as crystals. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurement shows that this compound undergoes a reversible phase transition at about 275 K with a heat hysteresis of 28 K. Step-like dielectric anomaly observed at 274 K further confirms the phase transition. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction data suggested that these was a transition from a room-temperature phase with the space group of P2₁/n (a = 8.030(5), b = 12.014(9), c = 8.124(6) Å, β = 96.089(1)°, V = 779.3(1) Å³, and Z = 4) to a low-temperature one with the space group of P2₁/c (a = 7.941(2), b = 11.828(3), c = 10.614(2) Å, β = 130.985(1)°, V = 752.6(3) Å³, and Z = 4). The displacements of hydrogen bonds induce the structure phase transition.     

High-temperature heat capacity and thermodynamic properties of pyrovanadate Pb<Subscript>2</Subscript>V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript> and orthovanadate Pb<Subscript>3</Subscript>(VO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The heat capacities of Pb₂V₂O₇ and Pb₃(VO₄)₂ as a function of temperature in the range 350–965 K have been studied by the differential scanning calorimetry method. The C_P = f(T) curve for Pb₂V₂O₇ is described by the equation C_p = (230.76 ± 0.51) + (73.60 ± 0.50)×10^-3T ? (18.38 ± 0.54)×10⁵T^-2 in the entire temperature range. For Pb₃(VO₄)₂, there is a well-pronounced extreme point in the C_P = f(T) curve at T = 371.5 K, which is caused by the existence of a structural phase transition. The thermodynamic properties of the oxide compounds have been calculated.     

Effect of Ag addition on crystallization kinetics and thermal stability of As–Se chalcogenide glasses

Chalcogenide glasses of (As₅₀Se₅₀)_100?xAg_x (0 ≤ x ≤ 25) were prepared using the melt quenching technique under non-isothermal conditions. Differential scanning calorimetry curves measured at different heating rates (5 ≤ β ≤ 40 K min^?1) are used to characterize the as-quenched samples. The thermal stability was monitored through the calculation of the temperature difference T _c ? T _g, stability parameter S and crystallization rate factor K _p. The glass-forming ability (GFA) was investigated on the basis of Hurby parameter H _r which is a strong indicator of GFA. In addition, the activation energy of glass transition E _t, activation energy of crystallization E _c and Avrami exponent n of the studied compositions were determined. The mechanism of crystallization was found to be a combination of two- and three-dimensional crystal growth.     

Apparent Molar Volumes of Aqueous Solutions of Magnesium Tetraborate from 283.15 to 363.15 K and 0.1 MPa

Densities for aqueous solutions of magnesium tetraborate MgB₄O₇(aq) at the molalities of (0.00556–0.03341) mol·kg^?1 were measured with an Anton Paar Digital vibrating-tube densimeter at temperature intervals of 5 K from 283.15 to 363.15 K and 0.1 MPa. Apparent molar volumes were obtained based on the experimental density data, and the 3D diagrams of the apparent molar volume (V _? ) of MgB₄O₇(aq) against temperature (T) and molality (m) were plotted. On the basis of the Vogel–Tamman–Fulcher equation, the coefficients of the correlation equation for densities of MgB₄O₇(aq) against temperature and molality were parameterized. According to the Pitzer ion-interaction model of the apparent molar volume, the temperature correlation equations of Pitzer single-salt parameters F(i,p,T)?=?a₀?+?a₁?×?T?+?a₂?×?T ²?+?a₃/T?+?a₄?×?ln(T)?+?a₅?×?T ³ (where T is temperature in Kelvin, a _i are model parameters) for MgB₄O₇ were obtained for the first time.     

The thermodynamic properties of the [(Me<Subscript>3</Subscript>Si)<Subscript>7</Subscript>C<Subscript>60</Subscript>]<Subscript>2</Subscript> fullerene complex

The temperature dependence of the heat capacity C _p ^o of the [(Me₃Si)₇C₆₀]₂ fullerene complex was measured for the first time using precision adiabatic vacuum calorimetry over the temperature range 6.7–340 K and high-accuracy differential scanning calorimetry at 320–635 K. For the most part, the error in the C _p ^o values was about ±0.5%. An irreversible endothermic effect caused by the splitting of the dimeric bond between fullerene fragments and the thermal decomposition of the complex was observed at 448–570 K. The thermodynamic characteristics of this transformation were calculated and analyzed. Multifractal analysis of the low-temperature (T < 50 K) heat capacity was performed, and conclusions were drawn concerning the character of the heterodynamicity of the structure. The experimental data obtained were used to calculate the standard thermodynamic functions C _p ^o (T), H ^o (T) ? H ^o (0), S ^o (T) ? S ^o (0), and G ^o (T) ? H ^o (0) over the temperature range from T → 0 to 445 K and estimate the standard entropy of formation of the compound from simple substances at 298.15 K. The standard thermodynamic properties of [(Me₃Si)₇C₆₀]₂ are compared with those of the (C₆₀)₂ dimer, the [(η⁶-Ph₂)₂Cr]⁺[C₆₀]^?? fulleride, and the initial C₆₀ fullerene.     

Influence of sodium dodecyl sulfate on the phase transition of thermoresponsive hyperbranched polymer in water

The influence of sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) on the cloud point temperature(Tcp) of the aqueous solution of thermoresponsive hyperbranched polyethylenimine derivative HPEI-IBAm was studied systematically. When p H was below 8.5, HPEI-IBAm was positively-charged. Initially, the Tcp of HPEI-IBAm decreased significantly, followed by an obvious increase with the increase of SDS concentration. The lower the p H was, the higher the SDS concentration was required to achieve the minimum Tcp. When p H was above 8.5, HPEI-IBAm was neutral and raising the SDS concentration led to the gradual increase of Tcp. Compared to linear poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)(PNIPAm), the Tcp of the current hyperbranched HPEI-IBAm was more sensitive to SDS. The thermoresponsive HPEI-IBAm/SDS complex was used as host to accommodate the non-polar pyrene in water. The lowest SDS concentration for effectively enhancing the solubility of pyrene in water was around 6.4 mmol·L~(-1). When HPEI-IBAm was present, the SDS concentration threshhold was decreased to about 0.31 mmol·L~(-1). Fluorescence technique with pyrene as the hydrophobic probe demonstrated that the SDS concentration of 7.2 mmol·L~(-1) was required to form the hydrophobic domain to accommodate pyrene guests without HPEI-IBAm, while only 0.2 mmol·L~(-1) of SDS was required in the presence of HPEI-IBAm.     

Synthesis,structural phase transition,and characterization of potassium hydrogen bis-dichloroacetate

Potassium hydrogen bis-dichloroacetate (1) was synthesized and separated as crystals. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurement reveals that this compound undergoes a reversible phase transition at about 259 K with a heat hysteresis of 23.5 K. Dielectric anomaly observed at 260 K in the heating process further confirms the phase transition. The room temperature X-ray single-crystal structure determination indicates that 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system with a centrosymmetric space group P2₁/c, and cell parameters are a =?6.240(1), b =?23.177(4), c =?7.335(1) Å, β =?106.938(1)°, V =?1014.8(3) ų, and Z =?4. In the low temperature phase, 1 also crystallizes in monolinic with space group P2₁/c, and cell parameters are a =?6.180(1), b =?22.988(2), c =?7.200(1) Å, β =?108.098(1)°, V =?972.4(1) ų, and Z =?4. The structural phase transition is dominating caused by the torsion of bond angles.     

Modified calculation scheme for evaluation and prediction of glass transition temperatures of polymers

A modified calculation scheme was developed for evaluating and predicting the glass transition temperatures of linear and cross-linked polymers. It was proposed to separate the contributions of weak (dispersion) and strong (dipole–dipole and hydrogen bonding) interactions between the same atoms and polar groups in the backbone and side chains of a polymer. The considered model is based on analyzing the system of anharmonic oscillators formed by pairs of atoms entering the intermolecular interaction. The critical temperature of destabilization of this system of oscillators on heating is the glass transition temperature T_g. As a result, without resorting to correction factors of various kinds, one can calculate the T_g of a large number of linear and cross-linked polymers of different classes and various structures with good accuracy.     

Thermal and dielectric characterization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes−thermoplastic polyurethanes composites

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes–thermoplastic polyurethanes composites were characterized by means of differential scanning calorimetry and dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. The composite is characterized by two glass transition temperatures T _g . The T _g associated with the soft segment decreases by increasing of carbon nanotubes content, while carbon nanotubes content has practically no effect on the value of the T _g associated with the hard segments. It was observed that rising the temperature and carbon nanotubes content resulted in the increased of both the dielectric permittivity and the loss factor. The presence of carbon nanotubes produces an enhancement of charge carriers trapping, increasing the electrical conductivity. The electrical conductivity of the composite was found to exhibit an insulator to conductor transition at a carbon nanotubes critical content, i.e., the percolation threshold, near 6 wt %.     

Excited States of Weak Interacting Complexes of Formaldehyde and Alkali Metal Ions

The electronically excited states of formaldehyde and its complexes with alkali metal ions are investigated with the time-dependent density functional theory (TD DFT) method. Vertical transition energies for several singlet and triplet excited states, adiabatic transition energies for the first singlet and triplet excited states S₁ and T₁, the adiabatic geometries and vibrational frequencies of the ground state S₀ and the first singlet and triplet excited states S₁ and T₁ for formaldehyde and its complexes are calculated. Better agreement with the experiment than that of the CIS method is obtained for CH₂O at the TD DFT level. The nonlinear C=O?M⁺ interaction in the excited states S₁ and T₁ is weaker than the linear interaction in the ground state. In the S₀ and S₁ states, the C=O bond is elongated by cation complexation and its stretching frequency is red-shifted, but in the T₁ state the C=O bond is shortened and its frequency is blue-shifted.