Physical Review Letters · 2012 · 188 citations · 20 references
Natural SciencesMaterials EngineeringMaterials ScienceNanomaterialsPolymer ChemistryPolymer MaterialsPhase TransitionsPolymer CharacterizationPolymer Physical ChemistryPolymer PhysicsPolymer StructurePolymer ThermodynamicsGlass TransitionGlass Transition ModelingGlass Transition TemperaturePolymer Chain DynamicsPolymer Chain RelaxationPolymer Relaxation ProcessesSpin RelaxationSpin Relaxation Dynamics
The slowing-down of the dynamics of a polymer chain near a surface has been observed for many years now. Here we show that the behavior of model nanocomposites can be quantitatively described with a gradient of glass-transition temperature. We describe with a single parameter-the range of this gradient-the temperature and solvent effect on the spin relaxation dynamics. Moreover, this parameter allows a quantitative description of the nanocomposite calorimetric response from the one of the bulk polymer.
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