Thermal lens scanning of the glass transition in polymers

In this article we discuss the use of the thermal lens technique for investigating the thermal properties of polymers as a function of temperature. It is also discussed how the experimentally determined thermal lens parameters can be used to locate the glass transition in polymers. The methodology is tested using a solution casted films of poly(vinyl chloride) as a testing sample. A comparison with conventional differential scanning calorimetry data is made. It is proposed that the current transient thermal lens methodology, with minor changes in its experimental configuration, could be adapted to develop a new methodology called differential thermal lens scanning especially designed for the investigation of the phase transitions in polymers. It is shown that this new methodology could be equally used for the measurement of the thermal expansion coefficient, above and below the glass transition.