| Abstract: | The thermal properties of poly(4,4′‐phthaloimidobenzoyl‐n‐methyleneoxycarbonyl) with n =12 and 22, abbreviated as PEIM‐12 and PEIM‐22, respectively, have been studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The heat capacities of the solid states of both polymers were measured and compared to computed heat capacities from approximate vibrational spectra. The deviations from the vibrations‐only heat capacity were used to identify large‐amplitude, conformational motions. The heat capacities of the liquid states were described as linear functions of temperature. They agreed with the liquid heat capacities generated from the ATHAS addition scheme using group contributions derived from polymers containing the same chemical segments as the PEIM‐ns. Knowing the heat capacities for the solid and liquid, the transition parameters could be separated and enthalpies, entropies, and free enthalpies obtained. With these data, the change of the crystallinity with temperature could be computed. In the early stages of solidification both compounds contain significant entropy contributions from conformational ordering of the flexible spacer and little from the rigid, aromatic segments. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 319–328, 2000 |
