Enthalpy relaxation of rigid poly(vinyl chloride)

The changes which take place on annealing rigid PVC in the vicinity of the glass transition have been followed by differential scanning calorimetry. The changes appear as an increase in the glass‐transition temperature and a decrease in the enthalpy with time of annealing. For annealing at 75°C, the enthalpy after 50–100 hr approaches the value characteristic of the equilibrium liquid state. The results obtained for annealing at 65°C and 75°C are in accord with those expected for the relaxation of an amorphous material, and are at variance with those expected on the basis of crystallization taking place on annealing. The enthalpy relaxation process is characterized by a distribution of activation energies centered about 18.8 kcal mole−1, and seems to reflect a multiplicity of molecular processes.