Abstract
The experimental and computed liquid heat capacity of an amorphous PLA was presented. The liquid heat capacity of PLA above the glass transition 333 K (60ºC) is linked to the molecular motions and computed as the sum of vibrational, external (anharmonic), and conformational contributions. The largest contribution to the liquid heat capacity, Cp(liquid) of PLA comes from the vibrational motions calculated as the group and skeletal vibrational heat capacity. The external contribution to Cp(liquid) was calculated as a function of temperature from experimental data of the thermal compressibility and expansivity of the liquid state. The contribution of conformational heat capacity to the total heat capacity of an amorphous liquid PLA was calculated by fitting the experimental liquid heat capacity, after subtracting the vibrational and external parts, to the obtained heat capacity based on a one-dimensional Ising-type model with two discrete states. The parameters described in these states can characterise the macromolecule's stiffness, cooperativity, and degeneracy. The computed and experimental data of Cp(liquid) showed good agreement at the investigated temperature region.
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