Micromechanisms and Phenomenology of Damping in Polymers
SourceAs a class of materials, polymers are unique in their damping properties. Due to the long-range molecular order introduced by the giant polymer molecule, elasticity and viscosity characteristics intermediate between crystalline solids and simple liquids are exhibited. The damping properties of high polymers, represented in terms of dynamic storage and loss modulii, are discussed in terms of the characteristic regions of dynamic mechanical dispersion. The temperature-frequency interdependence of damping properties is defined from physical-chemical considerations and versatile techniques of measurement. The damping properties of elastomers, thermoset resins, and semicrystalline polymers are examined and discussed in terms of polymer structure and performance. Recent progress in the development of high-damping polymers for engineering applications is reviewed.