Nanoparticle Motion within Glassy Polymer Melts
X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy is employed to investigate the motion of dilute suspensions of gold nanoparticles in low-molecular-weight polystyrene melts. At high temperatures, the observed motion is diffusive, with a rate that follows a Vogel-Fulcher temperature dependence. Closer to the glass transition temperature T{sub g}, diffusion is superseded by a hyperdiffusive process that first becomes observable near a crossover temperature T{sub c} {approx} 1.1 T{sub g} and is identified with heterogeneous strain in the melts. Following rapid cooling to temperatures sufficiently below T{sub c}, but still above T{sub g}, the hyperdiffusive dynamics displays a time dependence similar to aging in polymer glasses.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 1005473
- Journal Information:
- Phys. Rev. Lett., Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett. Journal Issue: (7) ; 02, 2009 Vol. 102; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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