Molecular Theory of Relaxation Phenomena 1n Polymers

The development of the molecular theory of configurational relaxation phenomena in polymers is briefly reviewed with the emphasis on the method of generalized diffusion equation and Rouse's model. Various dispersion phenomena in polymeric systems such as of dynamic viscosity, of dynamic Young's modulus and of dynamic bulk modulus are elucidated on the basis of the model theory. The present theoretical situation of the dispersion phenomena in crystalline polymers is also discussed. § 1. Introduction-High elasticity and high viscosity of polymeric systems The molecule of linear high polymers is characterized by its very long chain-like structure with more or less flexibility in ordinary temperatures. For example, the molecule of polyisobutylene (Fig. 1) which is the mai