| Abstract: | The γ and δ relaxations of polystyrene (PS) are rendered more active dielectrically by sorbed oxygen. This effect, coupled with comparative work on molecularly similar systems has led to the assignment of the γ relaxation to a rotational libration of the phenyl ring in PS. Specific interactions of the pendant phenyl ring with molecular oxygen to induce off-axis dipole moments in the phenyl moiety is proposed. It is concluded that this interaction is strong enough to influence the dielectric relaxation strength of other relaxations in PS. It is further concluded that because of the interactions occuring in aromatic polymers containing sorbed oxygen, care must be taken to exclude oxygen or to vary its content, in order that intrinsic motions in the polymer system can be studied. |
