Molecular mobility of amorphous S-flurbiprofen: a dielectric relaxation spectroscopy approach

Amorphous S-flurbiprofen was obtained by the melt quench/cooling method. Dielectric measurements performed in the isochronal mode, conventional and temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC) studies showed a glass transition, recrystallization, and melting. The different parameters characterizing the complex molecular dynamics of amorphous S-flurbiprofen that can have influence on crystallization and stability were comprehensively characterized by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy experiments (isothermal mode) covering a wide temperature (183 to 408 K) and frequency range (10(-1) to 10(6) Hz): width of the α-relaxation (βKWW), temperature dependence of α-relaxation times (τα), fragility index (m), relation of the α-relaxation with the β-secondary relaxation, and the breakdown of the Debye-Stokes-Einstein (DSE) relationship between the structural relaxation time and dc-conductivity (σdc) at deep undercooling close to Tg. The β-relaxation, observed in the glassy as well as in the supercooled state was identified as the genuine Johari-Goldstein process, attributed to localized motions and regarded as the precursor of the α-relaxation as suggested in the coupling model. A separation of about 6 decades between the α- and β-relaxation was observed at Tg; this decoupling decreased on increasing temperature, and both processes merged at Tαβ = 295 K. The temperature dependence of the α-relaxation time, τα, was described by two Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann-Hesse equations, which intercept at a crossover temperature, TB = 290 K, close to the splitting temperature between the α- and β-relaxation. From the low temperature VFTH equation, a Tg(DRS) = 265.2 was estimated (at τα =100 s) in good agreement with the calorimetric value (Tg,onset,TMDSC = 265.6 K), and a fragility or steepness index m = 113 was calculated allowing to classify S-flurbiprofen as a fragile glass former. The α-relaxation spectra were found to be characterized by a relatively large degree of nonexponentiality (βKWW = 0.52). A breakdown of the DSE log10 σdc - log10 τ relation was observed revealing an enhancement of translational ionic motions in comparison with the orientational molecular motions as the glass transition temperature Tg is approached from above.