Length Scale of Molecular Motions Governing Glass Equilibration in Hyperquenched and Slow-Cooled Polystyrene

Polymer glasses attain thermodynamic equilibrium owing to structural relaxation at various length scales. Herein, calorimetry experiments were conducted to trace the macroscopic relaxation of slow-cooled (SC) and hyperquenched (HQ) polystyrene (PS) glasses and based on detailed comparisons with molecular dynamics probed by dye reorientation, we discussed the possible molecular process governing the equilibration of PS glasses near the glass transition temperatures (T_g). Both SC and HQ glasses equilibrate owing to the cooperative segment motion above a characteristic temperature (T_c) slightly lower than the T_g. In contrast, below the T_c, the localized backbone motion with an apparent activation energy of 290 ± 20 kJ/mol, involving approximately six repeating units, assists equilibrium recovery of PS glasses on the experimentally accessible time scales. The results possibly indicate the presence of an alternative mechanism other than the α-cooperative process controlling physical aging of materials in their deep glassy states.