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Analyzing Morphology and Thermal History of Polybutylene Terephthalate by THz Time-domain Spectroscopy

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Abstract

We have measured the frequency-dependent dielectric function of semi-crystalline polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) in the terahertz region between 100 GHz and approximately 2.8 THz. A characteristic band is observed around 2.38 THz. The intensity of this band is a good indicator of the degree of crystallinity of the different samples. A potential assignment of this band is proposed, based on the comparison with spectroscopic data of the structurally very similar polyethylene terephtalate (PET). Furthermore, the frequency-dependent index of refraction of PBT reveals more insight about the morphology and different thermal history of the samples under investigation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to C. Jansen and M. Scheller for providing the TeraLyzer software for data extraction (www.lyterta.com). The authors also thank Dr. R. von Benten for providing PBT samples, Dr. T Kröhl for the He pycnometry data and J Schober , C. Willax and M. Wagner for technical support in the lab.

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Author notes

  1. Steffen Wietzke

    Present address: ContiTech AG, R&D Materials, Philipsbornstr.1, 30165, Hannover, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fachbereich Physik, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Renthof 5, 35032, Marburg, Germany

    Steffen Wietzke, Marco Reuter, Bernd M. Fischer & Martin Koch

  2. BASF SE, Polymer Physics Research, 67056, Ludwigshafen, Germany

    Nikolaus Nestle & Evgueni Klimov

  3. Novatrans Group SA, 60 Ramat Yam St., Herzelia, 46851, Israel

    Uri Zadok

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  1. Steffen Wietzke
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Correspondence to Steffen Wietzke.

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Wietzke, S., Reuter, M., Nestle, N. et al. Analyzing Morphology and Thermal History of Polybutylene Terephthalate by THz Time-domain Spectroscopy. J Infrared Milli Terahz Waves 32, 952–959 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10762-011-9810-9

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