Configurational heat capacity of various polymers above the glass transition temperature

We estimated the configurational heat capacity for 21 types of polymers above the glass transition temperature (Tg) using molecular vibration analysis. The polymers for which the configurational heat capacity was determined are listed as follows: six types of linear polymers with a carbon backbone: poly(1-butene) (PBE), poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA), poly(1-hexene) (PHE), polyisoprene (PIP), poly(vinyl fluoride) (PVF), polypropylene (PP), eight types of polyesters: poly(glycolide) (PGL), poly(propiolactone) (PPL), poly(butyrolactone) (PBL), poly(valerolactone) (PVL), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyundecanolactone (PUDL), polytridecanolactone (PTDL) and polypentadecanolactone (PPDL), and seven types of poly(oxide): poly(oxytrimethylene) (PO3M), poly(oxytetramethylene) (PO4M), poly(oxypropylene) (POP), poly(oxymethylene-oxytetramethylene) (POMOM), poly(oxymethylene-oxyethylene) (POMOE), poly(oxyethylene) (POE), and PO4M), poly(oxy(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene)) (PODMP). As the temperature increases, the configurational heat capacity of all polymers decreases. Based on Landau’s theory, the obtained heat capacity can be well reproduced by using power and logarithmic functions.