Heat capacities and entropies of linear, aliphatic polyesters

Abstract

Abstract New measurements of the heat capacity in the melt of poly(trimethylene succinate) (PTMS), poly(trimethylene adipate) (PTMA), and poly(hexamethylene sebacate) (PHMS) from 310 to 400 K are presented. Based on these data and literature data on eight other molten polylactones and poly(ethylene sebacate) (PES), an addition scheme is developed for linear, aliphatic polyesters that leads to the equation: which represents the ATHAS‐recommended melt heat capacities for all linear polyesters. Combining previously discussed solid heat capacities, derived from an approximate frequency spectrum, with the new liquid heat capacities, the various thermodynamic functions (enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs function) could be derived using the ATHAS computation scheme. The average value of residual entropy at zero kelvin of 5.3 ± 1.8 J/(K mol) per mobile bead for glassy linear polysters was found to be somewhat higher than for many other polymers in the data bank, but closer to that observed for linear, aliphatic polyamides. The phase transitions of PTMS, PTMA, and PHMS are also analyzed using the quantitative baselines available from the heat capacity study.