Dielectric relaxation behaviour of poly(mono-n-alkyl itaconates)

Dielectric relaxation measurements on a family of poly(mono-n-alkyl itaconates) have been performed. Two relaxation peaks have been observed within the temperature range studied. The first one at lower temperature (153 K at 1 kHz), which we call the γ peak and have attributed to motion in the lateral chains involving methylene sequences, depends on the length of the side-chain. The second relaxation labelled β (233 K at 1 kHz) is related mainly to motion of the lateral group. A peculiar behaviour has been observed in the case of poly(mono-tetradecyl itaconate). The results have been discussed in terms of the different possible motions of the side-chains.