Modulated differential scanning calorimetry in the glass transition region .4. Model calculations based on poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Temperature-modulated calorimetry (TMC) allows the experimental evaluation of the kinetic parameters of the glass transition from quasi-isothermal experiments. In this paper, model calculations based on experimental data are presented for the total and reversing apparent heat capacities on heating and cooling through the glass transition region as a function of heating rate and modulation frequency for the modulated differential scanning calorimeter (MDSC). Amorphous poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is used as the example polymer and a simple first-order kinetics is fitted to the data. The total heat flow carries the hysteresis information (enthalpy relaxation, thermal history) and indications of changes in modulation frequency due to the glass transition. The reversing heat flow permits the assessment of the first and higher harmonics of the apparent heat capacities. The computations are carried out by numerical integrations with up to 5000 steps, Comparisons of the calculations with experiments ape possible. As one moves further from equilibrium, i.e. the liquid state, cooperative kinetics must be used to match model and experiment.