Birefringence and glass transition temperatures of poly(diethylene glycol terephthalate) networks

A series of polymer networks were prepared by trifunctionally endlinking poly(diethylene glycol terephthalate). The elastomeric properties of these materials were studied at constant temperature using experiments that involve both the elastic force and birefringence. Whereas the stress-strain isotherms show an anomalous increase in the modulus at very high elongation ratios, a downturn appears in the birefringence-strain isotherms at the same extensibilities. These results suggest that the upturn that appears in the force should be attributed to maximum chain extensibility rather than to strain-induced crystallization. A variety of additional thermoelastic experiments were carried out on these networks, to elucidate the dependence of the glass transition temperature on strain. It was found that for the elongation ratios at which the networks exhibit Gaussian behavior, the free-volume effects on the glass transition temperature T_g (decreasing T_g with increasing free volume) offset the conformational effects (increasing T_g with decreasing entropy). However, the contrary occurs in the region where the stress increases anomalously with increasing strain.