Effect of supermolecular structure changes on the glass transition of polymer

The idea of two miscellaneous amorphous fractions in one polymeric system i s under consideration. A new factor influencing the glass transition and a relaxation observed in polymers exhibiting different supermolecular structu res is discussed. In order to clarify the specific arrangement of backbone chains two types of polymers were taken under investigation: semicrystallin e poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) and a liquid-crystalline poly(norbornene) deriva tive. In both cases, it was possible to find two well separated glass trans itions. Differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical thermal an alysis were used to study the effect of thermal history on the assignment o f the glass transition event associated with two miscellaneous amorphous ph ases. The problem of molecular arrangement in the amorphous phases is discu ssed.