Mechanical and Dielectric Relaxation Phenomena and their Molecular‐Physical Interpretation

Measurement of mechanical and dielectric relaxation phenomena provides some information concerning intermolecular interactions. These have been thoroughly elucidated for gases, whereas with liquids and amorphous solids (high plymers), we are limited to simplified representations by models. Although at present the main emphasis in applied technology is placed on relaxation investigations of high polymers, it seems appropriate to present here the general physical principles of mechanical and dielectric relaxation phenomena. Further‐more, a review of the relaxation behavior of gases, liquids, and amorphous solids (high polymers) is given. These problems were the main topic of the Sixtieth Congress of the “Deutsche Bunsen Gesellschaft für Physikalische Chemie” [1]. Relaxation phenomena dependent upon chemical equilibria and the field of magnetic relaxation phenomena are not discussed.