Interpretation of the TSDC fractional polarization experiments on the α‐relaxation of polymers

We report on the interpretation of the thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) experiments, with partial polarization methods, on the dielectric α‐relaxation. The results obtained on polyvinyl acetate are rationalized on the basis of the Boltzmann superposition principle in combination with a Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts (KWW) time decay of the polarization (with the β exponent essentially temperature independent and equal to the value determined by conventional dielectric methods at T_g). From this analysis of the global TSDC spectrum we found a complex temperature dependence of the KWW relaxation time, which is Arrhenius‐like at the lowest temperatures but crosses over to the Vogel–Fulcher behavior observed above T_g in the temperature range of the TSDC peak. On the basis of these results, we found the way of predicting the TSDC spectra measured after partial polarization procedures. We found that, the distribution of activation energies and compensation behavior deduced by following the standard way of analysis are associated to the assumption of an Arrhenius‐like temperature dependence of the α‐relaxation time in the temperature range explored by TSDC. Therefore we conclude that both the distribution of activation energies and compensation behavior obtained by following the standard way of analysis do not give a proper physical picture of the α‐relaxation of glassy polymers around the glass‐transition temperature. Our results also show that the partial polarization TSDC methods are not able to give insight about the actual existence or not of a distribution of relaxation times at the origin of the nonexponentiality of the α‐relaxation of polymers. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 2105–2113, 2000     

Creep recovery of acrylate urethane oligomer/acrylate networks. 2. Investigation of different modes of molecular motion

The creep recovery and dynamic mechanical properties of acrylate urethane oligomer/acrylate networks were investigated. The retardation spectra L_CR obtained from the creep recovery experiments were significantly different from the corresponding retardation spectra L_DMA obtained from the dynamic mechanical measurements. The reduced frequency ω^* dependence of L_DMA and the relaxation spectra H_DMA in the higher ω^* region were approximately represented as L_DMA ∝_ω^*−p and H_DMA ∝_ω^*q, although L_CR decreased faster than L_DMA with an increase in ω^*. The exponents q were close to ½ characterizing the Rouse modes in the systems containing an acrylate urethane oligomer of M_w = 5000 but less than ½ in the system containing an acrylate urethane oligomer of M_w = 12,000. For the latter systems, significant thermorheological complexity was observed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 2543–2550, 1997     

Viscoelastic properties of amorphous polymers. 5. A coupling model analysis of the thermorheological complexity of polyisobutylene in the glass-rubber softening dispersion

Isothermal data of high molecular weight polyisobutylene obtained by mechanical measurements with a spectral range over eight decades and additional photon correlation measurements have found that there are three distinct viscoelastic mechanisms in the glass-rubber transition zone. Theoretical considerations have helped to identify these three mechanisms to originate separately from local segmental (α) modes, sub-Rouse (sR) modes, and Rouse (R) modes. The temperature dependences of the shift factors of these mechanisms, a_T,α, a_T,sR and a_T,R, determined over a common temperature range are found to be all different. The differences in temperature dependences are explained quantitatively by the coupling model. The local segmental motion contributes to compliances ranging from the glassy compliance, J_g, up to 10^−8.5 Pa⁻¹. The sub-Rouse modes contribute in the compliance range, 10^−8.5 ≤ J(t) ≤ 10⁻⁷ Pa⁻¹. The Rouse modes account for the compliances in the range of 10⁻⁷ Pa⁻¹ ≤ J(t) ≤ J_plateau, where J_plateau is the plateau compliance. The magnitudes of the bounds given here are only rough estimates. Shift factors, a_T, obtained by time-temperature superpositioning of viscoelastic data taken in the softening transition over a limited experimental window are shown to be a combination of the three individual shifts factors, a_T,α, a_T,sR, and a_T,R. Consequently, care must be exercised in interpreting or using the WLF equation that fits the shift factors of the entire softening dispersion, because the latter do not describe the temperature dependence of any one of the three viscoelastic mechanisms. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys, 35: 599–614, 1997     

Proton NMR investigation of the local dynamics of PEO in PEO/PMMA blends

Longitudinal relaxation of proton magnetisation was used to characterize the molecular motions of PEO chains in compatible PEO (hydrogenated)/PMMA (deuterated) blends. Both the temperature and the PEO concentration, Φ, were varied. A maximum in the spin–lattice relaxation rate was observed and its properties were analyzed as a function of Φ. For Φ ≤ 0.50, the maximum is observed below the glass transition temperature of the blend; this shows that PEO chains dispersed in a matrix of PMMA remain highly mobile on a local scale even below T_g(Φ). A frequency–temperature correspondence procedure, applied to the measurements performed at two Larmor frequencies, 32 and 60 MHz, leads to a characteristic correlation time for PEO molecular motions. Its temperature dependence obeys a WLF free volume relation above the glass transition of the blends. The PEO free volume fraction and its thermal expansion are strongly reduced by the presence of the PMMA chains. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 1095–1105, 1997     

Equations of state for polyamide‐6 and its nanocomposites. 1. Fundamentals and the matrix

The pressure‐volume‐temperature (PVT) surface of polyamide‐6 (PA‐6) was determined in the range of temperature T = 300–600 K and pressure P = 0.1–190 MPa. The data were analyzed separately for the molten and the noncrystalline phase using the Simha‐Somcynsky (S‐S) equation of state (eos) based on the cell‐hole theory. At T_g(P) ≤ T ≤ T_m(P), the “solid” state comprises liquid phase with crystals dispersed in it. The PVT behavior of the latter phase was described using Midha‐Nanda‐Simha‐Jain (MNSJ) eos based on the cell theory. The data fitting to these two theories yielded two sets of the Lennard‐Jones interaction parameters: ε*(S‐S) = 34.0 ± 0.3 and ε*(MNSJ) = 22.8 ± 0.3 kJ/mol, whereas v*(S‐S) = 32.00 ± 0.1 and v*(MNSJ) = 27.9 ± 0.2 mL/mol. The raw PVT data were numerically differentiated to obtain the thermal expansion and compressibility coefficients, α and κ, respectively. At constant P, κ followed the same dependence on both sides of the melting zone near T_m. By contrast, α = α(T) dependencies were dramatically different for the solid and molten phase; at T < T_m, α linearly increased with increasing T, then within the melting zone, its value step‐wise decreased, to slowly increase at higher temperatures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 299–313, 2009     

Molecular motion and relaxation studies of aliphatic polyureas by thermal windowing thermally stimulated depolarization current technique

Molecular motion and relaxation studies using a thermal windowing thermally stimulated depolarization current (TW‐TSDC) were performed for aliphatic polyureas 7 and 9. Global thermally stimulated depolarization current gave three characteristic major peaks corresponding to the α, β, and γ relaxation modes at 78.5, −44, and −136°C for polyurea 7 and at 80, −50, and −134°C for polyurea 9, respectively. The α relaxation is related to the large‐scale molecular motion due to micro‐Brownian motion of long‐range segments. This relaxation is significantly related to the glass‐transition temperature. The β relaxation is caused by the local thermal motion of long‐chain segments. The γ relaxation is caused by the limited local motion of hydrocarbon sections. Temperature dependence of relaxation times was expressed well using Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher (VTF) expression. 3‐D simulation of dielectric constants of dielectric strength and loss factor were performed in the frequency range from 10⁻⁶ to 10⁴ Hz and temperature range from −150 to 250°C, using the relaxation parameters obtained from the TW‐TSDC method. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 88–94, 2000     

Calculating Permittivity and Dielectric Loss Frequency Spectra for Aqueous Electrolyte Solutions

Analytic expressions for dielectric permittivity factor ε₁(ω) and dielectric dissipation factor ε₂(ω) of electrolyte solutions are obtained, based on the ratio between complex factors of dielectric permittivity and specific conductivity. The range of frequency dispersion of dynamic factors ε₁(ω) and ε₂(ω) for aqueous solutions of LiCl, NaCl, KCl, and CsCl is considered. Numerical calculations are performed for friction coefficients β _a and β _b ; relaxation times τ _a , τ _b , and τ _ab ; and factors ε₁(ω) and ε₂(ω) in a wide range of variation for ρ; concentration c; temperature T; and frequencies ω. The resulting theoretically calculated ε₁(ω) and ε₂(ω) values and the Cole–Cole diagram are in quantitative agreement with experimental data.     

Twinkling fractal theory of the glass transition

In this paper we propose a solution to an unsolved problem in solid state physics, namely, the nature and structure of the glass transition in amorphous materials. The development of dynamic percolating fractal structures near T_g is the main element of the Twinkling Fractal Theory (TFT) presented herein and the percolating fractal twinkles with a frequency spectrum F(ω) ∼ ω^df–1 exp −|ΔE|/kT as solid and liquid clusters interchange with frequency ω. The Orbach vibrational density of states for a fractal is g(ω) ∼ ω^df–1, where d_f = 4/3 and the temperature dependent activation energy behaves as ΔE ∼ (T² − T). The key concept of the TFT derives from the Boltzmann population of excited states in the anharmonic intermolecular potential between atoms, coupled with percolating solid fractal structures near T_g. The twinkling fractal spectrum F(ω) at T_g predicts the correct dynamic heterogeneity behavior via the spatio-temporal thermal fluctuation autocorrelation relaxation function C(t). This function behaves as C(t) ∼ t^−1/3 (short times), C(t) ∼ t^−4/3 (long times) and C(t) ∼ t⁻² (ω < ω_c), which were found to be in excellent agreement with published nanoscale AFM dielectric force fluctuation experiments on a glassy polymer near T_g. Using the Morse potential, the TFT predicts that T_g = 2D_o/9k, where D_o is the interatomic bonding energy ∼ 2–5 kcal/mol and is comparable to the heat of fusion ΔH_f. Because anharmonicity controls both the thermal expansion coefficient α_L and T_g, the TFT uniquely predicts that α_L×T_g ≈ 0.03, which is found to be universal for a broad range of glassy materials from Pyrex to polymers to glycerol. Below T_g, the glassy structure attains a frustrated nonequilibrium state by getting constrained on the fractal structure and the thermal expansion in the glass is reduced by the percolation threshold p_c as α_g ≈ p_cα_L. The change in heat capacity ΔC_p = C_pL–C_pg at T_g was found to be related to the change in dimensionality from D_f to 3 in the Debye approximation as the ratio C_pL/C_pg = 3/D_f, where D_f is the fractal dimension of the glass. For polymers, the TFT describes the molecular weight dependence of T_g, the role of crosslinks on T_g, the Flory-Fox rule of mixtures and the WLF relation for the time-temperature shift factor a_T, which are traditionally viewed in terms of Free-Volume theory. The TFT offers new insight into the behavior of nano-confined glassy materials and the dynamics of physical aging. It also predicts the relation between the melting point T_m and T_g as T_m/T_g = 1/[1−p_c] ≈ 2. The TFT is universal to all glass forming liquids. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 2765–2778, 2008     

On the origin of the multiple melting behavior in poly(ethylene naphthalene‐2,6‐dicarboxylate): Microstructural study as revealed by differential scanning calorimetry and X‐ray scattering

In this article a study on the melting behavior and microstructure of semicrystalline poly(ethylene naphthalene‐2,6‐dicarboxylate) (PEN) prepared by crystallization from the glass under different annealing conditions is presented. The influence of the annealing temperature (T_a), annealing time (t_a), and the heating rate (R_h) at which T_a is reached on the endothermic behavior of the samples was investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A dual melting behavior appeared for low R_h values (2 deg · min⁻¹) within the range of 145 °C < T_a < 250 °C and 1 min ≤ t_a. ≤ 16 h. Samples subjected to fast heating rates (R_h = 200 deg · min⁻¹) to reach a T_a ≥ 230 °C showed DSC traces in which a transition is observed from three peaks to a single melting peak when t_a increases in the 30–240 min range. On the basis of the DSC results, PEN samples were prepared displaying single or dual endothermic behavior. The microstructure of these samples was studied by wide (WAXS) and small‐angle X‐Ray scattering (SAXS) techniques. The SAXS data were analyzed using the correlation function and interface distribution function formalisms, respectively. In samples with a single melting behavior, microstructural parameters such as the long spacing, the amorphous and the crystalline phase thicknesses are consistent with a lamellar stacking model in which the thickness distributions of both phases are almost the same. For samples exhibiting two melting endotherms, a dual lamellar model, which is in agreement with the experimental results is proposed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1167–1182, 2000     

Organic–inorganic hybrid materials. I. Characterization and degradation of poly(imide–silica) hybrids

Poly(imide–silica) hybrid materials with covalent bonds were prepared by (3-aminopropyl)methyldiethoxysilane (APrMDEOS) terminated amic acid, water, and tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) via a sol–gel technique. Infrared (IR), ²⁹Si and ¹³C CP/MAS nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to study hybrids containing various proportions of TMOS and hydrolysis ratios. The microstructure and chain mobility of hybrids were investigated by proton spin–spin relaxation T₂ measurements. The apparent activation energy E_a for degradation of hybrids in air was studied by the van Krevelen method. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2275–2284, 1999     

Dynamic mechanical behavior of fluorinated aromatic poly(ethers)

The relaxation behavior of six fluorinated aromatic poly(ethers) was investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis. The glass transition temperature was found to increase as the size and rigidity of linking groups increased and varied between 168°C for a dimethyl linking group and 300°C for a bicyclic benzoate ether-linking group. For the α-relaxation the steepness of time/temperature plots and broadness of the loss curves could be qualitatively correlated with chemical structure in a manner predicted by the coupling model of relaxation. Well-separated sub-T_g transitions were also observed, as a shoulder on the low temperature side of the α-peak, and as a broad, low loss transition around −100°C. The higher temperature process was similar to the structural relaxation often found in quenched glassy polymers, while the position, intensity, and breadth of the subambient process was sensitive to chemical structure. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 1963–1971, 1997     

Structural relaxation of glass-forming polymers based on an equation for configurational entropy, 4. Structural relaxation in styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer

The structural relaxation process in styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer has been characterized by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments. The results in the form of heat capacity, c_p(T), curves are analyzed using a model for the evolution of the configurational entropy during the process recently proposed by the authors.^11,12 The model simulation allows one to determine the enthalpy (or entropy) structural relaxation times and the β parameter of the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts equation characterizing the width of the distribution of relaxation times. This material parameters are compared with their analogues determined from the dielectric and dynamic-mechanical relaxation processes. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2201–2217, 1997     

Synergism and multiple mechanical relaxations observed in ternary systems based on benzoxazine,epoxy, and phenolic resins

The synergism in the glass‐transition temperature (T_g) of ternary systems based on benzoxazine (B), epoxy (E), and phenolic (P) resins is reported. The systems show the maximum T_g up to about 180 °C in BEP541 (B/E/P = 5/4/1). Adding a small fraction of phenolic resin enhances the crosslink density and, therefore, the T_g in the copolymers of benzoxazine and epoxy resins. To obtain the ultimate T_g in the ternary systems, 6–10 wt % phenolic resin is needed. The molecular rigidity from benzoxazine and the improved crosslink density from epoxy contribute to the synergistic behavior. The mechanical relaxation spectra of the fully cured ternary systems in a temperature range of −140 to 350 °C show four types of relaxation transitions: γ transition at −80 to −60 °C, β transition at 60–80 °C, α₁ transition at 135–190 °C, and α₂ transition at 290–300 °C. The partially cured specimens show an additional loss peak that is frequency‐independent as a result of the further curing process of the materials. The ternary systems have a potential use as electronic packaging molding compounds as well as other highly filled systems. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1687–1698, 2000     

Twinkling fractal theory of the glass transition: Rate dependence and time–temperature superposition

The twinkling fractal theory (TFT) of the glass transition temperature T_g provides a new method of analyzing rate effects and time–temperature superposition in amorphous materials. The rate dependence of T_g was examined in the light of new experimental and theoretical evidence for the nature of the dynamic heterogeneity near T_g. As T_g is approached from above, dynamic solid fractal clusters begin to form and eventually percolate rigidity at T_g. The percolation cluster is a solid fractal and to the observer, appears to “twinkle” as solid and liquid clusters interchange in dynamic equilibrium with a vibrational density of states g(ω) ∼ ω. The solid-to-liquid twinkling frequencies ω_TF are controlled by the Boltzmann population of intermolecular oscillators in excited energy levels of their anharmonic potential energy functions U(x) such that ω_TF = ω exp −B(T*² − T²)/kT in which T* ≈ 1.2T_g. An oscillator changes from a solid to a liquid when a thermal fluctuation causes it to expand beyond its inflection point in the anharmonic potential. This leads to a continuous solid fraction P_s near T_g given by P_S ≈ 1−[(1 − p_c) T/T_g] where p_c ≈ 1/2 is the rigidity percolation threshold. Since g(ω) is continuous from very low to very high frequencies, the complex twinkling dynamics existing near T_g produces a continuous relaxation spectrum with many different length scales and times associated with the fractal clusters. The twinkling frequencies control the kinetics of T_g such that for a given observation time t when the rate γ > 1/t, only those parts of the twinkling spectrum with ω > γ can contribute to relaxation or percolation upto time t. The most important results in this article are as follows: The TFT describes the rate dependence of T_g, both for DSC thermal heating/cooling rates and DMA frequencies as the classic T_g − lnγ law as T_g(γ) = T_go + (k/2B) ln γ/γ_o in which the constant B = 0.3 cal/mol K². The constant B appears quite universal for the 17 thermoset polymers investigated in this study and 18 linear polymers investigated by others. Many other amorphous metal and ceramic glass materials exhibited the same rate law but required a new B value approximately half that for polymers. The same B = 0.3 value was also used to successfully describe the TTS shift factors using the twinkling fractal frequencies ω_TF = ωexp −B(T*² − T²)/kT, as ln a_T(TFT) = exp B(T_R² − T²)/kT, which gave comparable results with the classical WLF equation, log a_T = [−C₁(T − T_R)]/[C₂ + (T − T_R)]. The advantage of the TFT over the WLF is that C₁ and C₂ are not universal constants and must be determined for every material, whereas the TFT uses one known constant B which appears to be the same for all polymers. The TFT has also been found to describe the strong and fragile nature of the viscosity behavior of liquids and the rate and temperature dependence of the yield stress in polymers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 2578–2590, 2009     

Ionic and excited species in irradiated poly(dimethylsiloxane) doped with pyrene

The influence of temperature (77–230 K) on the fate of pyrene (Py) radical ions and Py excited states in irradiated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) doped with Py is described. At 77 K, the Py radical ions seem to be stable, whereas the Py excited states [fluorescence (λ = 395 nm) and phosphorescence (λ = 575–650 nm)] are generated via tunneling charge transfer. In the range of the glass‐transition temperature (T_g = 152–153 K), the Py radical ions start to decay, taking part in a recombination process and leading to the Py monomer and Py excimer fluorescence (λ = 475 nm). The wavelength‐selected radiothermoluminescence (WS RTL) observed at approximately 395, 475, and 600 nm has helped us to identify the T_g range (152–153 K). The absorption maximum at approximately 404 nm, found in the temperature range under consideration, is thought to represent PyH^?, cyclohexadienyl‐type radicals produced as a result of the reaction of Py^?? with protonated PDMS macromolecules. With the initial‐rise method of evaluating the activation energy (E_a) with the WS RTL peaks observed in the T_g range, E_a values of 123–151 kJ mol^?1 have been found. Such high E_a values can be explained by the contribution of energy connected to the molecular relaxation of the matrix in the T_g range. The well‐known Williams–Landel–Ferry equation, with universal constants C₁ = 17.4 and C₂ = 12.7, has been successfully applied to the interpretation of old pulse‐radiolysis/viscosity data found for crosslinked PDMS doped with Py. The mechanisms involved in these phenomena are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 6125–6133, 2004     

Molecular probe techniques for studying diffusion and relaxation in thin and ultrathin polymer films

Two optically based, molecular probe techniques are employed to study relaxation and small-molecule translational diffusion in thin and ultrathin (thicknesses < ∼200 nm) polymer films. Second harmonic generation (SHG) is used to study the reorientational dynamics of a nonlinear optical chromophore, Disperse Red 1 (DR1) (previously shown to be an effective probe of α-relaxation dynamics) either covalently attached or freely doped in polymer films. Our studies on films ranging in thickness from 7 nm to 1 μm show little change in T_g with film thickness; however, a substantial broadening of the relaxation distribution is observed as film thickness decreases below approximately 150 nm. Experimental guidelines are given for using fluorescence nonradiative energy transfer (NRET) to study translational diffusion in ultrathin polymer films. Appropriate choice of a fluorescence donor species is important along with ensuring that diffusion is slow enough to be measured appropriately. Initial results on the diffusion of a small-molecule probe, lophine, in poly(isobutyl methacrylate) indicates that there is little change in probe diffusion coefficients in films as thin as 90 nm as compared to bulk films. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2795–2802, 1997     

Dielectric spectroscopy and calorimetry during postcuring of a linear chain polymer thermoset formed from a diepoxide and cyclohexylamine,and the nature of the products

The dielectric permittivity and loss spectra of an equimolar liquid mixture of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A and cyclohexylamine have been studied during the liquid's isothermal polymerization or curing in separate experiments at different temperatures and thereafter during the postcuring, both on rate-heating and isothermally. The spectra obtained during the growth of the linear chain polymer during the curing and postcuring show the evolution of an intermediate relaxation process whose position in the frequency plane remains relatively insensitive to the decrease in the configurational entropy during the postcuring, but whose strength increases. Postcuring ceases to occur once the calorimetric glass-liquid transition temperature of 345 K, corresponding to the ultimately formed polymeric state, has been reached. The increase in the number of covalent bonds, n, formed during curing and postcuring decreased the equilibrium dielectric permittivity, ε_s, and increased the characteristic relaxation time, τ₀, for all curing and postcuring conditions. For a fixed temperature and n, (dε_s/dT) and (dτ₀/dT), as well as the values ε_s and τ₀ of the ultimately formed state of the polymers differ significantly when the thermal history of polymerization differs. The slow dynamics in the glass-liquid transition region were analyzed in terms of the enthalpy relaxation and fictive temperature concepts. The distribution of relaxation times for these dynamics correspond to the stretched exponential parameter of 0.6, which is significantly greater than 0.39 determined for the dielectric α-relaxation spectra measured at a temperature 30 K higher. The enthalpy relaxation involves a narrower distribution of intermolecular barriers than dielectric relaxation. The results also show that the recently proposed method for determining the gelation time from the plots of the imaginary component of electrical impedance lacks scientific merit. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36 : 303–318, 1998     

Dielectric relaxation and conductivity studies on (PEO:LiClO4) polymer electrolyte with added ionic liquid [BMIM][PF6]: Evidence of ion–ion interaction

Polymer electrolytes, (PEO:LiClO₄)+x IL (1‐Buty‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate) with varying concentration of IL; x = 0,5,10,15,20 wt % have been prepared by solution cast technique and characterized by X‐Ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetery, FTIR, conductivity and dielectric relaxation measurements in the frequency range of 100 Hz–5 MHz. Temperature dependence of relaxation frequency and conductivity were found to be typical of thermally activated process both at T > T_m and T < T_m. Composition dependence of conductivity, dielectric relaxation, and degree of crystallinity has also been studied. On addition of IL, the degree of crystallinity after a decrease at 5 wt % IL increases slightly at 10 wt % and then finally decreasing. Variation of conductivity and relaxation frequency with composition could only be partly explained on the basis of variation of degree of crystallinity. An additional feature of ion–ion interaction (contact ion pair formation between IL or salt cations and their associated anions) has been invoked which was supported by FTIR studies. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011     

X‐ray diffraction study of the thermal expansion behavior of cellulose triacetate I

Highly crystalline samples of cellulose triacetate I (CTA I) were prepared from highly crystalline algal cellulose by heterogeneous acetylation. X‐ray diffraction of the prepared samples was carried out in a helium atmosphere at temperatures ranging from 20 to 250 °C. Changes in seven d‐spacings were observed with increasing temperature due to thermal expansion of the CTA I crystals. Unit cell parameters at specific temperatures were determined from these d‐spacings by the least squares method, and then thermal expansion coefficients (TECs) were calculated. The linear TECs of the a, b, and c axes were α_a = 19.3 × 10^?5 °C^?1, α_b = 0.3 × 10^?5 °C^?1 (T < 130 °C), α_b = ?2.5 × 10^?5 °C^?1 (T > 130 °C), and α_c = ?1.9 × 10^?5 °C^?1, respectively. The volume TEC was β = 15.6 × 10^?5 °C^?1, which is about 1.4 and 2.2 times greater than that of cellulose I_β and cellulose III_I, respectively. This large thermal expansion could occur because no hydrogen bonding exists in CTA I. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 517–523, 2009