HETEROGENEITY OF AMORPHOUS POLYMERS WITH VARIOUS FRAGILITY INDEXES ASSTUDIED IN TERMS OF NON-GAUSSIAN PARAMETER

Dynamical heterogeneity of amorphous polymers has been studied in term s of non-Gaussian parameter, A(0). This parameter was estimated as a f unction of temperature, time, and fragility of polymers using the inco herent elastic neutron scattering technique. We found that the heterog eneity of the amorphous polymers increases with decreasing temperature , especially below the glass transition temperature and also that the stronger (or less fragile) polymers are more heterogeneous. (C) 1998 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.