Ultrasonic Studies of Solid Polymers

Abstract

For over a quarter of a century the ultrasonic technique has provided scientists with a probe for investigating the energy transfer and storage characteristics of atomic and molecular systems. Most notable among these early studies were those concerned with establishing the form of the Fermi contact surface in metals [l], vibrational relaxation in molecular gases [2], and ion-solvation equilibria in aqueous solutions [3]. In more recent years the technique has been used to study the dynamics of conformational change in simple ethanes [4], alicyclic and heterocyclic molecules [5], and flexible polymers [6]. This review is concerned with a comparison of the factors influencing the propagation of an acoustic wave through synthetic polymers, glasses, and dielectric solids.