Enhanced Segmental Dynamics of Poly(lactic acid) Glasses during Constant Strain Rate Deformation

TitleEnhanced Segmental Dynamics of Poly(lactic acid) Glasses during Constant Strain Rate Deformation
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsBennin, Trevor, Josh Ricci, and M. D. Ediger
JournalMacromolecules
Volume52
Start Page6428
Issue17
Date Published09/2019
Abstract

The combined effects of temperature and deformation on the segmental dynamics of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) glasses were investigated by using probe reorientation measurements. Constant strain rate deformations, with strain rates between 6 × 10−6 and 3 × 10−5 s−1, were performed on PLA glasses at temperatures between Tg − 15 K and Tg − 25 K. Deformation decreases the segmental relaxation time by up to a factor of 30 relative to the undeformed state. The segmental relaxation time in the postyield regime is related to the local strain rate via a power law, with exponents similar to those reported for lightly cross-linked PMMA. The Kohlrausch−Williams−Watts exponent, βKWW, commonly interpreted in terms of the width of the distribution of segmental relaxation times, changes from the undeformed state to the postyield regime, indicating a significant narrowing of the relaxation spectrum. We observe that βKWW is correlated to the deformation-induced increase of segmental mobility for PLA, as was reported for PMMA. The similar responses of PLA and PMMA to deformation suggest that the observed effects are the generic consequences of constant strain rate deformation on the segmental dynamics of polymer glasses.

URLhttps://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.macromol.9b01363
DOI10.1021/acs.macromol.9b01363