Understanding microscopic parameters that control steepness of the temperature variations of segmental relaxation (fragility) and the glass transition phenomenon remains a challenge. We present dielectric and mechanical relaxation studies of segmental dynamics in various polymers with different side groups and backbone structures. The results have been analyzed in terms of flexibility of backbone and side groups of polymeric molecules, as suggested by the recent theoretical works by Dudowicz et al. A comparison of structures with identical backbones and varying side groups and identical side groups but different backbones reveals that the flexibility of side groups relative to the flexibility of the backbone is the most important factor controlling fragility in polymers, while the glass transition temperature T g depends primarily on the backbone flexibility and the side group bulkiness (occupied volume). Based on these results and analysis of literature data we formulated a modified approach to understand the role of chemical structure in segmental dynamics: (i) Polymers with stiff backbones always have high T g and fragility, while (ii) polymers with flexible backbones and no side groups are the strongest; (iii) however, for the most common type of polymeric structure, C-C or Si-O backbone with side groups, fragility increases with increasing "relatiVe" stiffness of side groups versus the backbone. In this class of polymers, lowest fragility is expected when the side groups are of similar chemical structure (or flexibility) as the backbone, as in the case of polyisobutylene, one of the strongest polymers known.

Combining dielectric spectroscopy and neutron scattering data for hydrated lysozyme powders, we were able to identify several relaxation processes and follow protein dynamics at different hydration levels over a broad frequency and temperature range. We ascribe the main dielectric process to protein's structural relaxation coupled to hydration water and the slowest dielectric process to a larger scale protein's motions. Both relaxations exhibit a smooth, slightly super-Arrhenius temperature dependence between 300 and 180 K. The temperature dependence of the slowest process follows the main dielectric relaxation, emphasizing that the same friction mechanism might control both processes. No signs of a proposed sharp fragile-to-strong crossover at T approximately 220 K are observed in temperature dependences of these processes. Both processes show strong dependence on hydration: the main dielectric process slows down by six orders with a decrease in hydration from h approximately 0.37 (grams of water per grams of protein) to h approximately 0.05. The slowest process shows even stronger dependence on hydration. The third (fastest) dielectric relaxation process has been detected only in samples with high hydration ( h approximately 0.3 and higher). We ascribe it to a secondary relaxation of hydration water. The mechanism of the protein dynamic transition and a general picture of the protein dynamics are discussed.

Despite extensive efforts in experimental and computational studies, the microscopic understanding of dynamics of biological macromolecules remains a great challenge. It is known that hydrated proteins, DNA and RNA, exhibit a so-called "dynamic transition." It appears as a sharp rise of their mean-squared atomic displacements r2 at temperatures above 200-230 K. Even after a long history of studies, this sudden activation of biomolecular dynamics remains a puzzle and many contradicting models have been proposed. By combining neutron and dielectric spectroscopy data, we were able to follow protein dynamics over an extremely broad frequency range. Our results show that there is no sudden change in the dynamics of the protein at temperatures around approximately 200-230 K. The protein's relaxation time exhibits a smooth temperature variation over the temperature range of 180-300 K. Thus the experimentally observed sharp rise in r2 is just a result of the protein's structural relaxation reaching the limit of the experimental frequency window. The microscopic mechanism of the protein's structural relaxation remains unclear.

The primary alpha and the secondary Johari-Goldstein (JG) beta relaxations of supercooled glass-forming neat epoxy resin and 2-picoline in mixture with tristyrene are monitored by broadband dielectric relaxation spectroscopy at ambient pressure and elevated pressures. For different combinations of pressure and temperature that maintain the alpha-relaxation time constant, the frequency dispersion of the alpha relaxation is unchanged, as previously found in other glass-formers, but remarkably the JG beta-relaxation time remains constant. This is more clear evidence of a strong connection between the alpha- and JG beta-relaxation times, a fact that should be taken into account in the construction of a viable theory of glass transition.

Dielectric spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were applied to study the molecular dynamics and thermal properties of a low-molecular-weight glass-forming liquid, salol (phenyl salicylate), confined in anodic aluminum oxide membranes of different pore diameters (100−13 nm). On increasing the geometrical confinement, the glass transition temperature shifts toward lower temperatures, while at the same time broadening of the shape of the structural relaxation is observed. This was attributed to the interplay between surface and confinement effects leading to the transition from Vogel−Fulcher− Tammann-like to Arrhenius-like dependence of the structural relaxation times. We have noticed that the temperature of such crossover agrees with the endothermic process detected by DSC. Combined dielectric and calorimetric data have indicated that this phenomenon is related to the decoupling of the dynamics of molecules attached to the pore walls and those at the center. The enhancement of the structural relaxation of the core molecules increases with decreasing pore size possibly due to changes in the packing density. This finding gives a new insight into the behavior of glass-forming liquids under confinement and helps in the understand of the characteristic shift of the dynamic glass transition temperature with decreasing of the pore diameter. ■ INTRODUCTIONManipulation with the physicochemical properties of the materials at the nanoscale, for instance confined polymers, gives an opportunity to obtain unique morphologies that can find promising applications in nanotechnology as miniaturized sensors, magnetic labels, tissue implants, and so on. 1−3 Therefore, the effects at the nanoscale is a very active research area. For example, under confinement on the nanometer scale, the properties of various materials are affected mostly by the finite size and their interactions with the interfaces or confining surfaces. Numerous studies have shown that the melting/ freezing temperature, solid−solid transition, surface free energy, glass transition, and molecular mobility 4,5 are strongly affected by one or two-dimensional confinement. These changes are hotly discussed in the context of varying pore sizes 6−8 or film thicknesses. 9,10 In addition, the strength and the type of interactions between the confined molecules and pore walls (or a substrate) play a key role and have an important impact on the basic physical properties of different materials and potential applications. 11 Despite the intensive studies, the behavior of glass-forming liquids under confinement is still very puzzling. It is very difficult to rationalize or generalize it, because of the variety of theoretical concepts and experimental results that scatter a lot depending on the confining environment or surface interactions. 12,13 According to literature data, the glass transition temperature T g can decrease, increase, or even remain unaffected under nanoconfinement. 6,14−16 The influence of the spatial restriction on T g can be discussed in t...

Dielectric spectroscopy (DS) was used to investigate the relaxation dynamics of supercooled and glassy ibuprofen at various isobaric and isothermal conditions (pressure up to 1750 MPa). The ambient pressure data are in good agreement with that reported previously in the literature. Our high pressure measurements revealed validity of temperature-pressure superpositioning (TPS) for the alpha-peak. We also found that the value of the fragility index decreases with compression from m = 87 +/- 2 at atmospheric pressure to m = 72.5 +/- 3.5 at high pressure (p = 920 MPa). The drop of fragility observed in our experiment was discussed in the framework of the two-order-parameter (TOP) model. In addition, we have also studied crystallization kinetics in a liquid state of examined drug at ambient and high pressure. We found out that, for the same structural relaxation time/same viscosities, the samples prepared by compression of liquid at high temperatures have significantly elongated induction times as well as overall crystallization times (sample 2: t(0) approximately = 4 h, t(1/2) approximately = 37.5 h; sample 3: t(0) approximately = 5.6 h, t(1/2) approximately = 49 h) compared to that held at lower temperature and ambient pressure (sample 1: t(0) approximately = 1.2 h, t(1/2) approximately = 12.2 h). A possible explanation of this finding is also given.

Dielectric spectroscopy studies of hydrated protein demonstrate smooth temperature variations of conductivity. This observation suggests no cusplike fragile-to-strong crossover (FSC) in the protein's hydration water. The FSC at T approximately 220 K was postulated recently on the basis of neutron scattering studies [Chen, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 103, 9012 (2006)] and was proposed to be the main cause for the dynamic transition in hydrated proteins. Following Swenson et al. , we ascribe the neutron results to a secondary relaxation. We emphasize that no cusplike solvent behavior is required for the protein's dynamic transition.

Dielectric spectra of the polyalcohols sorbitol and xylitol were measured under isobaric pressures up to 1.8 GPa. At elevated pressure, the separation between the alpha and beta relaxation peaks is larger than at ambient pressure, enabling the beta relaxation times to be unambiguously determined. Taking advantage of this, we show that the Arrhenius temperature dependence of the beta relaxation time does not persist for temperatures above T(g). This result, consistent with inferences drawn from dielectric relaxation measurements at ambient pressure, is obtained directly, without the usual problematic deconvolution the beta and alpha processes.