Glass Transition: Theory and Applications

This lecture covers the glass transition of polymeric materials, including its definition, theory, and practical implications. The instructor discusses the thermodynamic aspects of glass and melting transitions, the effects of molecular weight, copolymerization, crystallinity, and chemical structure on the glass transition temperature. Various theories, such as the Free-Volume Theory and the Williams-Landel-Ferry equation, are explained in detail. The lecture also explores the influence of temperature, pressure, and molecular weight on the glass transition, as well as the characterization of glass transitions in different polymers.