| Abstract: | Freeze‐dried samples were prepared from dilute solutions of atactic polystyrene (a‐Ps) in benzene in a concentration range of 1 × 10?1 to 2 × 10?5 g/mL, and their glass transition temperatures (Tg) were determined by differential scanning calorimetry. It was found that below a critical concentration (C ), the Tg of samples decreases linearly with decreasing logarithmic concentration of solutions. The freeze‐dried samples were annealed at a constant temperature for various times or at various temperatures for the same period of time. The Tg of samples prepared from solutions of concentration below C was observed to shift to higher temperature with increasing annealing temperature or annealing time, finally approaching that of the bulk sample. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of the freeze‐dried samples were determined and were compared with the bulk sample. Significant changes in line width and absorption intensity were observed in the spectra of the freeze‐dried samples, indicating that the packing of segments is in a more dilatant state. During annealing, the packing of segments in the samples gradually approaches that of the bulk sample, diminishing the differences in FTIR spectra between the freeze‐dried sample and the bulk sample. The experimental observations are discussed, and it is assumed that intrachain and interchain entanglements may play an important role in glass transition. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2243–2251, 2005 |
