Search results for "Glass transition"

Self-Diffusion of Small Molecules into Rubbery Polymers: A Lattice Free-Volume Theory

2010

In the framework of the Free Volume Theory, a new equation was derived for the evaluation of self-diffusion coefficients of small molecules in polymers above the mixture glass transition temperature. The derivation of the equation turned out to be straightforward once the equivalence between the free-volume and the unoccupied volume given by Thermodynamic Lattice Theories is assumed. A parameter evaluation scheme is proposed, which is substantially simpler compared to the conventional Vrentas-Duda approach, even without losing generality. The key assumption is discussed and its consistency is verified from a numerical viewpoint. A comparison with experimental solvent self-diffusion coeffici…

Semicarbazides as gel forming agents for common solvents and liquid crystals

2006

This paper describes the synthesis of 14 new gelling agents with semicarbazide groups as H-bonding motifs and alkyl- and/or azobenzene side groups. They gel solvents like decaline, 1,2-dichlorobenzene and toluene and liquid crystalline mixtures. X-Ray structure analysis shows that the semicarbazides are connected by H-bonds, each molecule to four neighbours. As a result a ribbon is formed with a core of H-bonded semicarbazide groups and alkyl chains sticking to the side. IR measurements show an unchanged H-bonding motif in large crystals and in the gel fibres, even in LC-mixture. During heating the gel melts (rheology), while the H-bonding motif of the crystal disappears (IR and DSC measure…

Optical Hole Burning and Thermal Irreversibility of Non-Ergodic Systems: Polymers, Proteins, Glasses

1989

A spectral hole is used to probe configurational dynamics of non-ergodic systems far below the glass transition temperature

From orientational glasses to structural glasses: What computer simulations have contributed to understand experiments

2002

Abstract Orientational glasses, produced by random dilution of molecular crystals, exhibit a freezing transition of the quadrupole moments. Monte Carlo simulations of lattice models (generalization of the Edwards–Anderson spin glass model) have been used to elucidate this behavior. While short range models exhibit a static glass transition at zero temperature only, the infinite range Potts glass exhibits a transition where a glass order parameter appears discontinuously. At higher temperature, a dynamical transition occurs, described by mode-coupling theory (MCT). MCT has also been tested by Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations of coarse-grained models of glass-forming polymers. W…

Relaxations Below Glass Transition Temperature in Bread and Its Components

1999

ABSTRACT Dry glassy bread, cooked gluten, and gelatinized wheat starch-sucrose mixtures were prepared. Dielectric properties were studied as a function of temperature at different frequencies ranging from 100 to 1,000 kHz. Both bread and starch samples exhibited a tan δ peak at -53°C at 10 kHz, which is associated with a secondary relaxation characterized by an activation energy of 50 kJ/mol. The gluten sample did not show any relaxation in the temperature range studied. The magnitude of the relaxation peak was sensitive to the sucrose concentration of the starch sample. The higher the sucrose content, the greater the amplitude of the peak. Such an effect is attributed to a greater β-relaxa…

Dynamical heterogeneities in glass-forming materials

1996

ABSTRACTCooperative dynamics around the glass transition leads to complex motional behavior of the individual molecules, resulting in non-exponential relaxation. The nature of this non-exponentiality is clarified theoretically as well as experimentally. The non-exponentiality may be due to heterogeneous relaxation (superposition of exponential processes with different rate constants) or homogeneous relaxation (identical intrinsically non-exponential processes). A precise definition of both limits is given. It is shown that the type of relaxation, i.e. to which degree heterogeneous and homogeneous contributions are present, reflects geometrical properties of the dynamics. The heterogeneous c…

Computer simulations of undercooled fluids and the glass transition

2000

Abstract Two model studies are presented that attempt to describe the static and dynamic properties of glass-forming fluids via molecular dynamics simulations: The first model is an atomistically realistic model of SiO 2 , the second model provides a coarse-grained description of polymer liquids, i.e., typical `fragile' glassformers, while SiO 2 is the prototype of a `strong glassformer'. For both models, attention is given to the questions as to which range of temperatures are properties in equilibrium, and whether such simulations can help to interpret experiments and/or check theoretical predictions. While in the simulation of SiO 2 using the potential of van Beest, Kramer and van Santen…

Thermal properties of e-beam cured epoxy/thermoplastic matrices for advanced composite materials

2007

The aim of this work is to investigate the possibility to improve the thermal behaviour of epoxy based systems, cured by ionizing radiation, in order to produce matrices for advanced carbon fibres composites. Blends of two epoxy monomers, difunctional and trifunctional, have been polymerized by e-beam irradiation and the dynamic mechanical thermal properties have been investigated. The increase of the concentration of the trifunctional epoxy monomer in the blend causes a marked increase of the Tg, but strongly decreases the reactivity. Subsequently, blends of the same epoxy monomers with a high Tg thermoplastic toughening agent have been considered and their reactivity and the thermal prope…

Surface and bulk ordering in thin films of a symmetrical diblock copolymer

2013

Amphiphilic diblock copolymers have the ability to adapt their surface's molecular composition to the hydrophilicity of their environment. In the case of about equal volume fractions of the two polymer blocks, the bulk of these polymers is known to develop a laminar ordering. We report here our investigation of the relationship between bulk ordering and surface morphology/chemical composition in thin films of such an amphiphilic diblock copolymer. Upon annealing in vacuum, the expected lamella ordering in the bulk of the film is observed and we find the morphology of the film surface to be defined by the thickness of the as-deposited film: If the as-deposited thickness matches the height of…

1982