Effect of dissolved small molecules on the mechanical relaxation behavior of polycarbonate

Abstract

After sorption of gas molecules (CO 2, C 2H 4) in polycarbonate, a new damping peak appears and the intrinsic γ-relaxation is depressed. The new peak increases in intensity and shifts to lower temperature with increasing gas concentration. This relaxation could be attributed to jumps of the gas molecules inside the polymer matrix similar to the Snoek relaxation of carbon in α-iron.