Glass Transition Temperatures of Copolymers: Molecular Origins of Deviation from the Linear Relation

• Published in: Macromolecules 2022-04, Vol.55 (8), p.3189-3200
• Main Authors: Huang, Cong-Cong, Du, Ming-Xuan, Zhang, Bao-Qing, Liu, Chen-Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0024-9297; 1520-5835
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c02287

The glass transition temperature (T g) is an important material parameter in determining polymer properties. The main molecular structure factors affecting T g are chain stiffness and cohesive energy, causing polymers to exhibit the complex micro-structure dependence of T g. The composition dependence of the T gs of binary random copolymers mainly shows as three cases: the linear relation, the negative deviation (or concave curve), or the positive deviation (convex curve). The study of the T g’s composition dependence can guide the design of copolymer materials with desirable properties. On the other hand, it can provide insights into understanding the precise nature of the glass transition. In this study, the root cause of the T g deviation from the linear relation in random copolymers was revealed, and new molecular origins were proposed. First, the theoretical basis of why there exists a linear T g relation for copolymers was clarified, and the influence of the specific polar interactions between components was discussed briefly. More importantly, it has been identified that the negative T g deviation is related to copolymers composed of the mono-substituted (M-type) monomer and asymmetrical di-substituted (AD-type) monomer, and the positive T g deviation is related to copolymers composed of the M-type monomer and symmetrical di-substituted (SD-type) monomer. The molecular origin of the T g deviations from the linear relation is the destruction of the special conformational structures (e.g., the locally rigid conformational structure in the AD-type homopolymer or the dynamic flexible structure in the SD-type homopolymer) caused by copolymerization. The behaviors for more complex binary copolymers (AD–AD, SD–SD, and AD–SD types) were also discussed. Finally, the variation in T g of a statistical copolymer as a function of composition was summarized.