Eur. Phys. J. B 72, 133-137 (2009)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2009-00324-y

Percolation model of interfacial effects in polymeric glasses

¹ Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
² Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

Corresponding author: ^a smilner@engr.psu.edu

Received: 15 April 2009
Revised: 25 August 2009
Published online: 7 October 2009

Abstract

Recent observations using fluorophore probes of local dynamics in polymer films have provided new insight into the glass transition. Using a percolation model, we predict the local T_g in a polymer film, as a function of distance from a substrate or a free surface. Our predictions are in good agreement with the observed elevation of T_g near a substrate, whereas the observed reduction of T_g near a free surface is too strong to be accounted for by percolation effects.