Mechanical spectrum study of glass transition by a composite method

Normalized mechanical spectra of glycerol, 1,2-propanediol carbonate and poly(vinyl chloride)/di(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate (PVC/DOP) blends were studied in the temperature range from 100 to 300 K by a composite method. The dynamic glass transition was observed, which exhibits a peak of temperature-dependent loss modulus. The peak moves toward higher temperature with higher measuring frequency, which accords with the relaxation feature of the dynamic glass transition. Another characteristic temperature can be marked in the mechanical spectrum by the onset of storage modulus change, which is labeled as T_gm. T_gm is found to be nearly equal to the calorimetric glass transition temperature in glycerol, 1,2-propanediol carbonate and di(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate. As we expected, this onset temperature in the mechanical spectrum has an intimate relation with the calorimetric glass transition of materials, and it can be regarded as a representative when the calorimetric glass transition temperature is not available. Finally, normalized mechanical spectra of PVC/DOP blends with different PVC content were obtained and mechanical glass transition temperatures T_gm were determined.