TY - JOUR
T1 - Molecular theory of physical aging in polymer glasses
AU - Chen, Kang
AU - Schweizer, Kenneth S
PY - 2007/4/20
Y1 - 2007/4/20
N2 - A molecular level theory for the physical aging of polymer glasses is proposed. The nonequilibrium time evolution of the amplitude of long wavelength density fluctuations, and its influence on activated barrier hopping, plays an essential role. The theory predicts temperature-dependent apparent power-law aging of the segmental relaxation time and logarithmic aging of thermodynamiclike properties, in good accord with experiments. A physical origin for the quantitative nonuniversal aspects based on the amplitude of quenched density fluctuations is suggested.
AB - A molecular level theory for the physical aging of polymer glasses is proposed. The nonequilibrium time evolution of the amplitude of long wavelength density fluctuations, and its influence on activated barrier hopping, plays an essential role. The theory predicts temperature-dependent apparent power-law aging of the segmental relaxation time and logarithmic aging of thermodynamiclike properties, in good accord with experiments. A physical origin for the quantitative nonuniversal aspects based on the amplitude of quenched density fluctuations is suggested.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.167802
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.167802
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:34247368387
SN - 0031-9007
VL - 98
JO - Physical Review Letters
JF - Physical Review Letters
IS - 16
M1 - 167802
ER -