Prediction of the glass transition temperature for compatible polymer blends of varying compositions

Compatible polymer blends have been found to have widespread commercial applications. The simplest criterion for judging polymer—polymer miscibility in the solid state is the glass transition temperature (T_g), which can vary widely according to blend composition for a compatible system.Recently, an equation which predicts the T_g of intimate mixtures of compatible polymers has been derived, based on classical thermodynamics. Only a knowledge of the T_g and heat capacity increment (ΔC_p) of each pure component is required to predict the T_g at any composition.In this paper, the validity of this entropy-based relationship is investigated for a variety of commercial compatible polymer blends, including some based on poly(vinyl chloride), polystyrene, and poly(2,6-dimethyl-,4-phenylene oxide). The T_g and ΔC_p of each pure component are measured with a Perkin-Elmer DSC-2 differential scanning calorimeter, are predicted glass transition temperatures are compared with those observed experimentally.     

On the continuity of the diffusion behaviour at amorphous polymer–polymer interfaces on both sides of the bulk glass transition temperature

The diffusion behaviour at amorphous polystyrene (PS)–PS interfaces has been investigated over an interval of temperatures (T) from below to above the bulk glass transition temperature (T _g ^bulk) using the Arrhenius and Vogel-Fulcher approaches. No discontinuity in the variation of the logarithm of the diffusion coefficient versus 1/T has been observed when going through the PS T _g ^bulk over a broad interval of T, from T _g ^bulk???50 °C to T _g ^bulk?+?50 °C. The molecular mechanism of interdiffusion has been discussed.     

The effect of gamma irradiation on glass transition temperature and thermal stability of Se96Sn4 chalcogenide glass

Se₉₆Sn₄ chalcogenide glass was prepared by melt quenching technique and exposed, at room temperature, to different doses of 4, 8, 12, 24 and 33 kGy of high-energy ⁶⁰Co gamma irradiation. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used under non-isothermal condition to determine the glass transition temperature T_g, onset T_c and peak T_p temperatures of crystallization, of un-irradiated and γ-irradiated samples, at four different heating rates. The variation of T_g with heating rates was utilized to calculate the glass transition activation energy E_t for un-irradiated and γ-irradiated glass, using the methods suggested by Kissinger and Moynihan. Based on the obtained values of the characteristic temperatures T_g, T_c and T_p, thermal stability was monitored through the calculation of the S parameter and the crystallization rate factor 〈K_p〉 for irradiated and un-irradiated glass. Results reveal that, as γ-dose increases T_g increases up to 12 kGy then decreases at higher doses but remains more than that of un-irradiated glass. Meanwhile, both E_t and 〈K_p〉 attain their minimum values at the same dose of 12 kGy and the glass is thermally stable at this particular dose.     

The role of the torsional potential in relaxation dynamics: a molecular dynamics study of polyethylene

The role of the torsional potential in bulk polymer chain dynamics is investigated via molecular dynamics simulation using polyethylene as a model system. A number of three-fold barrier values, both greater and less than the standard one, were invoked. The one-fold potential that determines the gauche vs trans energy difference was also varied. For each of the selected torsional potentials, the MD volumetric glass transition temperature, T_g, was located. It was found that T_g is quite sensitive to the three-fold barrier magnitude, moving from below 100 K to nearly 400 K as the barrier goes from zero to twice the standard value. However T_g was found to be quite insensitive to the gauche trans energy difference. Details of the conformational dynamics were studied for the case of a zero torsional potential. This included the rate and location of conformational transitions, the decay of the torsional angle autocorrelation function (ACF) and the cooperativity of conformational transitions, all as a function of temperature. The temperature dependence of the conformational transition rate remains Arrhenius at all temperatures. The relaxation time characterizing the torsional angle ACF decay exhibits WLF temperature behavior. The conformational transitions are randomly distributed over the bonds at high temperature, but near T_g they become spatially heterogeneous and localized. The transitions show next-neighbor correlation as well as self-correlated forward-backward transitions. All of these features are similar to those found in previous simulations under the standard torsional potential.     

Effect of solvents on the cryogenic dynamic mechanical properties of polystyrene

Young's modulus and mechanical damping of 15 organic liquids in polystyrene have been measured from 4°K to 250°K. The concentration was generally in the range from 10 to 15%, but the polystyrene–toluene system was investigated over the range from 0 to 16%. Some liquids cause the 40°K damping peak of polystyrene to disappear, other liquids do not. Seven of the liquids which cause the disappearance of the 40°K peak give rise to new large damping peaks at the temperature expected for the secondary glass transition temperatures of the liquids, that is, at 0.77 T_g of the liquids. Some of the liquids produced large unexplained damping peaks at temperatures above the expected glass transition temperatures T_g of the liquids. It is suggested that the γ peak in polystyrene is caused by styrene monomer.     

The proper glass transition temperature of amorphous polymers on dynamic mechanical spectra

Glass transition is crucial to the thermal and dynamical properties of polymers. Thus, it is important to detect glass transition temperature (T _g) with a sensitive and proper method. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) is one of the most frequently used methods to determine T _g due to its advantage of high sensibility. However, there is controversy in the past literatures to determine the proper glass transition temperature among three transition temperatures, i.e., T _g1, T _g2 and T _g3 in the dynamic mechanical spectra, which correspond to the temperature abscissa of intersect value of two tangent lines on storage modulus (E′), the peak of the loss modulus (E″) and the peak of the loss tangent (tan δ). In this work, these three transition temperatures were compared with the glass transition temperature determined by DSC (T _gDSC). Based on the discussion of different modes of molecular motion around the glass transition region, it is demonstrated that T _g1 and T _g2 have the same molecular mechanism as T _gDSC, i.e., local segmental motion which is enthalpic in nature and determines the proper glass transition temperature, while T _g3 is assigned to the transition temperature of entropic Rouse modes, thus cannot be used as the proper glass transition temperature.     

Probing the two-stage transition upon crossing the glass transition of polystyrene by solid-state NMR

A two-stage transition upon crossing the glass transition of polystyrene with increasing temperature was precisely determined and interpreted by using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance(SSNMR), ~1H-~1H dipolar couplings based double quantum-filtered(DQF) and dipolar filter(DF) experiments and ~(13)C chemical shift anisotropy(CSA) based centerband-only detection of exchange(CODEX) experiment are used to fully characterize the time scale of molecular motions during the glass transition. While differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and CODEX experiment predicted the first stage of glass transiton, DQF and DF experiments provided the evidence for the second stage transition during which the time scale of molecular motions changed from very slow(t ms) to very fast(t μs). The first stage of glass transition begins with the occurrence of remarkable slow re-orientation motions of the polymer backbone segments and ends when the degree of slow motion reaches maximum. The onset and endpoint of the conventional calorimetric glass transition of polystyrene can be quantitatively determined at the molecular level by SSNMR. In the second stage, a subsequent dramatic transition associated with the melting of the glassy components was observed. In this stage liquid-like NMR signals appeared and rapidly increased in intensity after a characteristic temperature T_f(~1.1T_g). The signals associated with the glassy components completely disappeared at another characteristic temperature T_c(~1.2T_g).     

Specific heat and dielectric relaxations in ultra-thin polystyrene layers

The effect of thickness on the glass transition dynamics in ultra-thin polystyrene (PS) films (4 nm < L < 60 nm) was studied by thin film ac-calorimetry, dielectric spectroscopy (DRS) and capacitive dilatometry (CD). In all PS-films, a prominent α-process was found in both the ac-calorimetric and dielectric response, indicating the existence of cooperative bulk dynamics even in films as thin as 4 nm. Glass transition temperatures (T_g) were obtained from ac-calorimetric data at 40 Hz and from capacitive dilatometry, and reveal a surprising, marginal thickness dependence T_g(L). These results, which confirm recent data by Efremov et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91 (2003)] but oppose many previous observations, is rationalized by differences in film annealing conditions together with the fact that our techniques probe exclusively cooperative dynamics (ac-calorimetry) or allow the effective separation of surface and “bulk”-type mobility (CD). Two other observations, a significant reduction in c_p towards lower film thickness and the decrease in the contrast of the dilatometric glass transition, support the idea of a layer-like mobility profile consisting of both cooperative “bulk” dynamics and non-cooperative surface mobility.     

Boson peak and fast relaxation process near the glass transition in polystyrene

Atactic polystyrene, both side group and main chain deuterated, was investigated by inelastic neutron scattering in a wide temperature range around the glass transition from 2 to 450 K. In the glass the Boson peak position is only very weakly influenced by the deuteration of the phenyl group. In the neighborhood of the glass transition temperatureT _g we find a fast relaxation process similar to other glasses. The onset of the fast relaxation in polystyrene, however, is observed already at temperaturesT _g — 200 K. Results from partially deuterated polystyrene suggest a change of the phenyl ring dynamics already far belowT _g.     

Differential scanning calorimetry of semiconducting As-Se glasses containing Sb

The compositional dependence of the glass transition temperature (T _g), and the temperature of the maximum rate of crystallization (T _p) of As-Se glasses containing Sb has been measured using non-isothermal DSC. The variation of these characteristic temperatures is found useful in interpreting the structural changes in As-Sb-Se glasses. The role of Sb in these glasses and its effect on the crystallization characteristics is analyzed.     

Crossover in dynamics of polymeric liquids: Back to Tll?

Light scattering spectra of two polymers, polyisobutylene (PIB) and polystyrene (PS), were analyzed in the broad frequency range at temperatures above the glass transition (T_g ). At high temperatures, the spectra followed the qualitative scenario suggested by mode‐coupling theory (MCT) of the glass transition. The crossover temperature (T_c ) was defined to be approximately 1.35 T_g in PIB and approximately 1.15 T_g in PS. At lower temperatures (T < T_c ), the light scattering spectra deviated strongly from the idealized MCT scenario. Different signs of the dynamic transition around T_c are discussed. The difference between the suggested interpretation and an old idea of the liquid–liquid transition in polymeric liquids is stressed: we describe the transition as purely dynamic in nature. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 2785–2790, 2000     

Creep behavior of amorphous ethylene–styrene interpolymers in the glass transition region

The viscoelastic behavior of amorphous ethylene–styrene interpolymers (ESIs) was studied in the glass transition region. The creep behavior at temperatures from 15°C below the glass transition temperature (T_g) to T_g was determined for three amorphous ESIs. These three copolymers with 62, 69, and 72 wt % styrene had glass transition temperatures of 11, 23, and 33°C, respectively, as determined by DMTA at 1 Hz. Time–temperature superposition master curves were constructed from creep curves for each polymer. The temperature dependence of the shift factors was well described by the WLF equation. Using the T_g determined by DMTA at 1 Hz as a reference temperature, C₁ and C₂ constants for the Williams, Landel, and Ferry (WLF) equation were calculated as approximately 7 and 40 K, respectively. The master curves were used to obtain the retardation time spectrum and the plateau compliance. The entanglement molecular weight obtained from the plateau compliance increased with increasing styrene content as 1,600, 1,870, and 2,040, respectively. The entanglement molecular weight of the ESIs was much closer to that of polyethylene (1,390) than to that of polystyrene (18,700); this was attributed to the unique chain microstructure of these ESIs with no styrene–styrene dyads. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2373–2382, 1999     

Challenge and Solution of Characterizing Glass Transition Temperature for Conjugated Polymers by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Thermomechanical properties of polymers highly depend on their glass transition temperature (T _g). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is commonly used to measure T _g of polymers. However, many conjugated polymers (CPs), especially donor–acceptor CPs (D–A CPs), do not show a clear glass transition when measured by conventional DSC using simple heat and cool scan. In this work, we discuss the origin of the difficulty for measuring T _g in such type of polymers. The changes in specific heat capacity (Δc _p) at T _g were accurately probed for a series of CPs by DSC. The results showed a significant decrease in Δc _p from flexible polymer (0.28 J g^?1 K^?1 for polystyrene) to rigid CPs (10^?3 J g^?1 K^?1 for a naphthalene diimide‐based D–A CP). When a conjugation breaker unit (flexible unit) is added to the D–A CPs, we observed restoration of the Δc _p at T _g by a factor of 10, confirming that backbone rigidity reduces the Δc _p. Additionally, an increase in the crystalline fraction of the CPs further reduces Δc _p. We conclude that the difficulties of determining T _g for CPs using DSC are mainly due to rigid backbone and semicrystalline nature. We also demonstrate that physical aging can be used on DSC to help locate and confirm the glass transition for D‐A CPs with weak transition signals. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 1635–1644     

Determination of the glass transition temperature of polystyrene,poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(methyl methacrylate) using gas chromatography

The glass transition temperatures, Tg, of polystyrene, poly (vinyl chloride) and poly(methyI methacrylate) have been determined from gas chromatographic measurements using n-hexane, n-heptane, meta-xylene and para-xylene solvents. The glass transition temperatures were detected on the z-shaped retention diagrams which were produced from the plot of the logarithm of the specific retention volumes of the above-mentioned solvents against the reciprocal of temperature, i.e. log V${}_{\text{g}}^{\text{º}}$ vs. 1/T. The glass transition temperature is specified by the temperature where the slope of log V${}_{\text{g}}^{\text{º}}$ vs. 1/T changes abruptly. The observed glass transition temperature of polystyrene produced by this technique was found to be in good agreement with those produced by other techniques such as the differential scanning colorimeter. The industrial importance of the glass transition temperature, T_g, might be due to the dramatic changes in the physical properties of the polymer, such as hardness and elasticity, which take place in the vicinity of this temperature. However, perfectly crystalline polymers do not exhibit glass transitions, because their chains are incorporated in regions of three-dimensional order, called crystallites. Completely amorphous polymers and semi-crystalline polymers usually exhibit both glass transition and melting.     

DYNAMIC MECHANICAL RESPONSE OF CRAZES IN POLYSTYRENE

Dynamic mechanical analysis was used to study the mechanical properties and microstructureof crazes in polystyrene produced in air or in methanol at different temperatures. A new loss peakwas found at about 82℃,which is assigned to glass transition peak of craze fibrils. The decreaseof glass transition temperature of polymer in craze fibrils is due to the high values of surface tovolume ratio. The glass transition temperature ratio of craze fibrils to bulk material (T_g~l /Tg) hasbeen expressed as a function of the fibrils diameter (d). From T_g~l of craze fibrils,the value of fibrildiameter can be calculated. Annealing the crazed specimen at room temperature makes the fibrilsplastically deform and cause the fibrils to thin slightly,whereas annealing the crazed specimen atthe temperature near T_g of the craze fibrils makes the fibrils bundle together.     

Thermal analysis of spider silk inspired di-block copolymers in the glass transition region by TMDSC

We used advanced thermal analysis methods to characterize a new family of A-B di-block copolymers based on the amino acid sequences of Nephila clavipes major ampulate dragline spider silk. Using temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry with a thermal cycling method and thermogravimetry, we captured the effect of bound water acting as a plasticizer for spider silk-like biopolymer films which had been cast from water solution and then dried. A low glass transition because of bound water removal was observed in the first heating cycle, after which, a shift of glass transition was observed in A-block film due to crystallization and annealing, and in BA film due to annealing. No shift of glass transition after bound water removal was observed in B-block film. The reversing heat capacities, C _p, for temperatures below and above the glass transition were measured and compared to the calculated values. The solid state heat capacity was modeled below T _g, based on the vibrational motions of the constituent poly(amino acid)s, heat capacities of which are known from the ATHAS Data Bank. Excellent agreement was found between the measured and calculated values of the heat capacity, showing that this model can serve as a standard method to predict the solid state C _p for other biologically inspired block-copolymers. We also calculated the liquid state heat capacities of the 100% amorphous biopolymer at T _g, and this predicted value can be use to determined the crystallinity of protein-based materials.     

Glass transition and crystallization kinetics analysis of Sb–Se–Ge chalcogenide glasses

Differential thermal analysis (DTA) has been employed to investigate the effect of Ge addition on the glass transition behavior and crystallization kinetics of Sb₁₀Se_90?xGe_x (x = 0, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27) alloys. The three characteristic temperatures viz. glass transition (T _g), crystallization (T _c), and melting (T _m) have been determined and found to vary with the heating rates and Ge content. Thermal stability and glass forming tendency have been evaluated in terms of ΔT (= T _c ? T _g) and reduced glass transition temperature. The activation energies for glass transition and crystallization have been used to analyze the nucleation and growth process. The activation energy analysis also determines the suitability of alloys to be used in switching applications. Results have been interpreted in terms of bond energies and structural transformations in the investigated alloys.     

Preparation and thermal characterization of the glass transition temperatures of sulfonated polystyrene-metal ionomers

The glass transition temperatures and heat capacity changes in the transition region are reported for six sulfonated linear polystyrenes in the hydrogen form, H-SPS, in the 3.4–20.1 mol % sulfonation range and 76 metal SPS ionomers in the 3.4–12.8 mol % range. The metals are those which interact predominantly ionically and include +1, +2, and +3 ions of the alkali metal, alkaline earth, and rare earth (lanthanide) series. The results show the effect of H₂O or coordinating ligands on glass transition temperatures (T_g) and the importance of eliminating it to obtaining reproducible values for T_g and ΔC_p. The T_g values of dry M-SPS ionomers depend only on the sulfonation level despite wide variation in metal ion charge and size. The variation of ΔC_p with sulfonation level is interpreted as showing that at high levels a few unsulfonated styrene units adjacent to sulfonated ones are constrained, presumably by clustering, from participation in the polystyrene-like cooperative rearrangements in the transition region.     

Glass transitions in hydrogen-bonded polymer complexes

Mutual precipitates of poly (N, N-dimethyl acrylamide) and poly (4-hydroxystyrene) were collected from dioxane, methanol, or acetone. The glass transition (T_g) temperatures of the precipitates are higher than the weight-average values. Clear films cast from dimethylformamide solutions have lower T_g values. Complexation also occurred between poly (ethyl oxazoline) and poly (4-hydroxystyrene) in dioxane and between poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) and poly (4-hydroxystyrene) in methanol. Again, the glass transition temperatures of the precipitates are higher than the values for the blend films. The ΔC_p values associated with the glass transitions of the complexes are smaller than those of the blends having the same compositions. Negative excess heat capacities of mixing have been observed for several precipitates.     

The glass transition temperature of polystyrene

A round robin test was performed to determine the reliability of values for the glass transition temperatureT _g as determined by DTA on polymers. Ten different instruments were involved. The test material was high molecular weight polystyrene. Values forT _g (midpoint) were reported in the range 107°C±2 K. The respective heat flow curves differed considerably in shape. In the literature aT _g of 100°C is often given for polystyrene. The discrepancy between this value and the value of 107°C found in the round robin test is due to three differences: the thermal history of the sample, the evaluation of the heat flow curves, and the effect of finite sample size.