Skip to main content
European Commission logo print header

The nature of the Glass Transition in polymers and its influence on their physical properties

Objective

The general objective of this project deals with the study of the Glass Transition in polymers and its influence on their physical properties. The Glass Transition is directly related to the complex dynamical behaviour of glass forming systems. Therefore, the main task of this project is the investigation of the dynamics around the Glass Transition of polymers as well as the microscopic identification of the different relaxation mechanisms. In order to study the different motions involved, a large variety of methods (relaxation and scattering techniques) is necessary demanding a collaboration of different laboratories To deal with simple polymers, the project aims to study the elastomers polybutadiene and polyisoprene with different microstructures as well as polycarbonate, technically a very important thermoplastic material, which exhibits a highly pronounced secondary relaxation process. Supercooled low molecular-weight liquids are also considered as model compounds.
The dynamics around the glass transition of polymers have been investigated as well as the microscopic identification of the different relaxation mechanisms. In order to study the different motions involved, a large variety of methods (relaxation and scattering techniques) is necessary. Study materials included the elastomers polybutadiene and polyisoprene, with different microstructures, as well as polycarbonate, technically a very important thermoplastic material, which exhibits a highly pronounced secondary relaxation process. Supercooled low molecular weight liquids were also considered as model compounds.

By means of different experimental techniques, polybutadiene (PB) samples with different microstructures ranging from 1,2 PB to 1,4 PB have been studied. The results obtained give an insight into how the microstructure affects the main alpha relaxation and the secondary beta relaxation. In addition, new results about the fast dynamics (10E-12s range) have been obtained by neutron and light scattering techniques. Different alternative models have been developed.

Topic(s)

Data not available

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY
EU contribution
No data
Address
3,Paseo Ramon de Lardizabal 3
20009 SAN SEBASTIAN
Spain

See on map

Total cost
No data

Participants (4)