Debye type dielectric relaxation and the glass transition of alcohols

Many hydrogen-bonded liquids, especially glass-forming cases, display a dielectric relaxation behavior that differs qualitatively from that of other simple liquids. The majority of models aimed at explaining this unusual dielectric behavior associate the prominent Debye process with structural relaxation, viscous flow, and the glass transition. We perform dielectric and calorimetric studies of glass-forming mixtures of 2-ethylhexylamine and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol across the entire composition range. The kinetic glass transition temperature derived from the large dielectric Debye peak decreases, whereas that of the much smaller and asymmetrically broadened peak increases upon addition of amine. Only the latter feature coincides with the calorimetric glass transition results, implying that molecular structure and dielectric polarization fluctuate on time scales that can differ by orders of magnitude in many hydrogen-bonding liquids.     

Structural relaxation and glass transition behavior of binary hard-ellipse mixtures

Structural relaxation and glass transition in binary hard-spherical particle mixtures have been reported to exhibit unusual features depending on the size disparity and composition. However, the mechanism by which the mixing effects lead to these features and whether these features are universal for particles with anisotropic geometries remains unclear. Here, we employ event-driven molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the dynamical and structural properties of binary two-dimensional hard-ellipse mixtures. We find that the relaxation dynamics for translational degrees of freedom exhibit equivalent trends as those observed in binary hard-spherical mixtures. However, the glass transition densities for translational and rotational degrees of freedom present different dependencies on size disparity and composition. Furthermore, we propose a mechanism based on structural properties that explain the observed mixing effects and decoupling behavior between translational and rotational motions in binary hard-ellipse systems.     

Dielectric relaxation and glass transition temperature of copolymers

Dielectric relaxation measurements were made on methyl methacrylate—styrene and methyl methacrylate–p-chlorostyrene copolymers at temperatures higher than the glass transition temperature T_g. It was found that the temperature dependence of the relaxation time can be described satisfactorily by an expression derived recently for chain motion in amorphous polymers. The temperature T_g obtained from the expression agrees well with that determined by differential thermal analysis.     

Temperature dependent dielectric relaxation study of ethylene glycol-water mixtures

Using the picosecond time domain reflectometry method, dielectric relaxation measurements for 13 ethylene glycol (EG)-water mixtures have been studied from 0 to 40°C. The dielectric relaxations in the mixtures show a Debye-type behavior, whereas the relaxation in pure EG can be described by the Cole-Cole model. The static dielectric constant ₀, the relaxation time and the dielectric constant at high frequency have also been determined at various temperatures. The dielectric relaxation data suggests that there is no tendency to form hydrogen bonds with the addition of water to EG unlike other alcoholic systems but this tendency becomes increasingly important with decreasing temperature. The activation energy decreases with increased water content in the mixture as expected.     

Light scattering and dielectric relaxation studies of glass forming liquids

Extended Abstract: Glass forming organic liquids and polymers exhibit long range density fluctuations with correlation length ξ in the range of 10–300 nm at temperatures above T_g (1 - 6). This follows from dynamic and static light scattering experiments revealing some unexpected features, which cannot be explained on the basis of conventional liquid state theories: (i) In static light scattering the intensity I(q → 0) is no longer proportional to the isothermal compressibility, (ii) This excess scattering I_exc shows a strong q-dependence (q = (4π/Λ.)sin(θ/2)) corresponding to a correlation length ξ in the above mentioned range, (iii) The Landau-Placzek ratio I_Rayleigh/2I_Brillouin is much too high compared with the results of light scattering theories, (iv) In photon correlation spectroscopy a new ultraslow hydrodynamic mode (Γ ˜ q²) is detected with relaxation rates Γ about 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁹ lower than those of the α-process at a given temperature. In order to explain these observations, a two-state fluid model is proposed, which starts from the coexistence of “liquid-like” and “aperiodic solid-like” regions within the liquids. Such ideas have been discussed many times before, so for example A.R. Ubbelohde (7) speculates about “anticrystalline” clusters in liquids. Molecular dynamics simulations of atomic liquids showed that long range orientational fluctuations appear upon supercooling (8). A preferred icosahedral ordering is observed (9) and the number of icosahedral clusters increases with decreasing temperature (10). In connection with the interpretation of the dynamics of supercooled liquids different “two-state” models have been proposed (11 - 15). For the explanation of the light scattering results we propose that the molecules in the different dynamic states (“liquid” or “solid”) aggregate during annealing of the liquid at temperatures above T_g. Experiments showed that the equilibration times can be rather long (3 - 5), but nevertheless the liquids exhibiting long range density fluctuations are in the state of lowest free energy. We claim that our observations are the first experimental proof of the existence of such different dynamic states, which have been discussed many times before. The extended secondary clusters can also be detected by ultra small angle X-ray scattering.     

Enthalpic relaxation and the glass transition in polymer blends

The kinetics of enthalpic relaxation are reviewed and applied to the ageing of a range of blends made from polyether imide and polyether ether ketone. DSC has been used to follow the development of enthalpic relaxation and a Williams-Watt stretched exponential equation relating the extent of relaxation, ϕ(t), to the ageing time t and an average relaxation time, t́_a', has been used to quantify the ageing process. where β' is inversely related to the breadth of the relaxation spectrum such that 0<β>1.0. The relationship was modified to incorporate non-linearity in the relaxation behaviour. ϕ(t) was measured directly from the enthalpy change observed in the endotherms on heating aged specimens through the glass transition in the DSC. The PEI/PEEK blends were compatible over the full composition range in that they exhibited a single glass transition with a temperature that varied almost linearly with composition between those of the homopolymers. Enthalpic relaxation was found to be a useful technique for probing the molecular relaxations of polymer blends and confirming the degree of compatibility of the system. The β' values changed systematically with the blend composition between those of the homopolymers suggesting that the breadth of the relaxation spectra were similar in the blends to that in the homopolymers. Physical ageing was observed to embrittle the blends, and there was a close correlation between the extent of enthalpic ageing and the change in mechanical and impact behaviour. The yield stress increased and the elongation to break decreased progressively with ϕ(t) in addition to a reduction in impact strength. The model of enthalpic relaxation and the kinetic relationships, outlined above, have been used to determine the onset of the glass transition temperature and subsequent progress of enthalpic relaxation at fixed ageing temperatures, for direct comparison with the change in specific heat observed in DSC experiments. Good agreement was observed between experiment and calculated glass transitions and the effect of variables, such as activation enthalpies, pre-exponential factors, non-linear factors such as X and β' and fictive temperature on the observed glass transition temperatures and the temperature range over which the glass transition occurred determined. Modifications to the model for the enthalpic relaxation have been suggested.     

On the relaxation theory of glass transition in liquids

A method for calculating the constant in the main equation of glass transition (which relates the relxation time and the cooling rate near the glass transition temperature) with consideration given to the temperature dependence of the activation energy in this region is proposed. A modification of the main glass transition equation is considered. Application of this equation to the relaxation spectrometry of amorphous polymers and inorganic glasses is discussed.     

The influence of crystallinity on the secondary glass transition in polycarbonate

Summary Dynamic mechanical properties of polydian carbonate were measured with a vibrating reed method for various degrees of crystallinity (up to ca. 20 %). The explored temperature region was from — 180 °C to 120 °C; the frequency was about 100 Hz. Crystallinity was measured by density and thermal measurements.In the region of the -relaxation in polydian carbonate crystallinity appears to have no influence on tg . The storage modulus increases somewhat with increasing crystallinity and consequently the loss compliance decreases in the region of the -relaxation.

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Zusammenfassung Dynamisch-mechanische Eigenschaften des Polykarbonats von BisphenolA, wurden mit Hilfe der vibrating-reed-Methode für verschiedene Kristallisationsgrade gemessen. Der Temperaturbereich war von — 180 °C bis 120°C; die Frequenz war etwa 100 Hz. Die Kristallinität wurde aus Messungen der Dichte und der Schmelzenthalpie bestimmt. Es zeigte sich im Gebiet der -Relaxation kein Einfluß der Kristallinität auf tg .Der Modul nimmt mit der Kristallinität etwas zu und dementsprechend nimmt die Verlustkomplianz im Gebiet der -Relaxation ab.

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With 6 figures and 2 tables     

Glass transition in polyacrylonitrile: Analysis of dielectric relaxation data

Dielectric relaxation of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) samples, in which the presence of an amorphous phase is evidenced by x-ray diffraction, has been studied over the temperature range 30–150°C and frequency range 10²–10⁵ Hz. These data as well as those reported by other authors, reveal several points useful to the understanding of the dielectric relaxations of PAN in relation to its structure. A glass transition in PAN is evidenced by at least two of the four data sets investigated; the third shows combined effect of two relaxations, whereas the fourth clearly shows a relaxation process different from the glass transition. The glass-transition behavior of the dielectric relaxation data is confirmed by Williams-Landel-Ferry theory and a recent theory of Phillips, both of which lead to consistent conclusions.     

Microwave dielectric spectra and molecular relaxation in formamide-N,N-dimethylformamide binary mixtures

The dielectric dispersion and absorption spectra of formamide (FA), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and their binary mixtures are investigated in the frequency range of 500 MHz to 20 GHz at 30 °C in view of the organic synthesis by microwaves heating using amides solvents. The concentration dependent values of molecular reorientation relaxation times lower than that of the ideal mixing behaviour have been attributed to the cooperative dynamics of H-bonded FA–DMF structures. The molar ratio of stable adduct is 2:1 of FA to the DMF, which is determined from the concentration dependent excess static dielectric constant and the relaxation time plots of these binary mixtures. Electrode polarization effect and ionic conduction in FA and DMF were investigated from their dielectric dispersion spectra in the low frequency region of 20 Hz to 1 MHz.     

Relationship between the nonexponentiality of relaxation and relaxation time in the problem of glass transition

By analyzing the experimental data for various glass-forming liquids and polymers, we find that the nonexponentiality, beta, and the relaxation time, tau, are commonly related: log(tau) is an approximately linear function of 1/beta, followed in most cases by a crossover to a higher linear slope. We rationalize this relationship in the recently developed elastic approach to the glass transition. The key to the observed common relationship between beta and tau is that the two quantities are governed by the same parameter, the liquid elasticity length, d el. The increase of d el on lowering temperature increases tau and decreases beta, resulting in the observed common relationship between beta and tau. In this picture, we also discuss the crossovers of beta and tau at low temperature.     

Some comments on nature of the structural relaxation and glass transition

We report on an experiment and new formula revealing dynamic and structural heterogeneity observed in liquids and polymeric systems. The formula applied to data obtained by mechanical spectroscopy reveals the glass-forming system behaviour giving the parameters previously postulated. The presented results are compared with data obtained for liquids (oligomers) confined to nanoporous media. To explain the behaviour of the polymeric systems the three-phase model is considered.     

The glass transition

This work deals with a comparison of data obtained from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) investigations. Measurements were performed on various poly(ethylene terephthalate) films: a wholly amorphous, a thermally crystallized and drawn samples. For each specimen, the TSDC complex spectra, resolved into elementary ones, led to the determination of the classical compensation temperature (T _c ). The glass transition temperature (T _g) and the fictive equilibrium temperature (T _f) were determined by means of DSC. It appears thatT _c is different fromT _g and very close toT _f.     

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.     

Temperature modulated calorimetry and dielectric spectroscopy in the glass transition region of polymers

The results from temperature modulated DSC in the glass transition region of amorphous and semicrystalline polymers are described with the linear response approach. The real and the imaginary part of the complex heat capacity are discussed. The findings are compared with those of dielectric spectroscopy. The frequency dependent glass transition temperature can be fitted with a VFT-equation. The transition frequencies are decreased by 0.5 to 1 orders of magnitude compared to dielectric measurements. Cooling rates from standard DSC are transformed into frequencies. The glass transition temperatures are also approximated by the VFT-fit from the temperature modulated measurements. The differences in the shape of the curves from amorphous and semicrystalline samples are discussed.Dedicated to Professor Bernhard Wunderlich on the occasion of his 65th birthday