Mechanical and Dielectric Response

Abstract

In the large majority of present day uses of polymeric materials, the focus is on their mechanical performance. Properties are of a peculiar nature since polymer melts are different from low molar mass liquids and polymer solids differ from conventional crystalline solids. While the latter usually represent perfectly elastic bodies and low molar mass liquids develop viscous forces only, bulk polymers combine elastic and viscous properties in both the fluid and the solid state. Therefore they are generally addressed as ‘viscoelastic’ and, in fact, polymers are the main representatives of this special class of materials.