Glassy dynamics in polyalcohols: intermolecular simplicity vs. intramolecular complexity

On the spectral shape of the structural relaxation in supercooled liquids

Structural relaxation in supercooled liquids is non-exponential. In susceptibility representation, χ″(ν), the spectral shape of the structural relaxation is observed as an asymmetrically broadened peak with a ν1 low- and ν-β high-frequency behavior. In this perspective article, we discuss common notions, recent results, and open questions regarding the spectral shape of the structural relaxation. In particular, we focus on the observation that a high-frequency behavior of ν-1/2 appears to be a generic feature in a broad range of supercooled liquids. Moreover, we review extensive evidence that contributions from orientational cross-correlations can lead to deviations from the generic spectral shape in certain substances, in particular in dielectric loss spectra. In addition, intramolecular dynamics can contribute significantly to the spectral shape in substances containing more complex and flexible molecules. Finally, we discuss the open questions regarding potential physical origins of the generic ν-1/2 behavior and the evolution of the spectral shape toward higher temperatures.

Correlation between entropy fluctuations and the dielectric relaxation of glass-forming systems: The central role of dipolar-dipolar cross correlations

The premise that the dielectric α relaxation has a one-to-one correspondence with entropy fluctuations in equilibrium near the glass transition was experimentally verified in a systematic and quantitative manner for glass-forming systems in general. Validation of this relation was structured at different levels, taking into account various ingredients as the apolar-polar character, macromolecular structure, the presence of hydrogen bonds, or complex structure and dynamics. The results reclaim the suitability of dielectric spectroscopy to echo the primary structural relaxation of glass-forming systems, demonstrating that the dielectric response effectively captures the structural relaxation by reliably correlating with entropy fluctuations. The correlation with entropy fluctuations holds even when the dielectric strength of the systems is high and the dielectric response is narrow and dominated by cross correlations, proving that dipolar intermolecular interactions are fundamental to the structural relaxation and not a particularity of the dielectric probe. This one-to-one correspondence between structural and dielectric α relaxation does not support the existence of a generic spectral shape for the primary structural relaxation valid for all kinds of susceptibility functions.

Specific line shape of the lowest frequency Raman scattering modes of triethylene glycol

For both dielectric spectroscopy and light scattering spectra, the relaxation modes in the microwave region have been characterized by the Debye relaxation model, which is determined by the peak frequency, or by an empirically extended model (e.g., Cole-Davidson and Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts), which has the appropriate line shape. For light scattering from glass-forming liquids, the general line shape is a broader high frequency side in comparison with Debye relaxation. However, for triethylene glycol (TEG) in liquid form at room temperature, the lowest frequency Raman scattering (LFR) mode shows a peak at about 3.0 GHz, which is narrower than that expected for the Debye relaxation. With increasing temperature, this peak exhibits a significant blueshift and begins to resemble the Debye relaxation shape, indicating that the LFR mode of TEG is also a relaxation mode. The narrowing of the LFR mode of TEG is suggested to be caused from the increased non-whiteness of the fluctuation correlations due to increased hydrogen bonding. This is a consequence of breaking the Debye relaxation model's approximation of the overdamping and narrowing limits in the GHz region, which was found in this study by analyzing the relaxation modes of Raman scattering using the multiple random telegraph model for evaluating thermal bath correlation. The analysis results show that the LFR relaxation times of TEG and the main dielectric relaxation overlap only by 333 K. However, the second LFR mode and β-relaxation at higher frequencies coincide over a wide temperature range, suggesting that they are corresponding modes.

Dipolar Order Controls Dielectric Response of Glass-Forming Liquids

The dielectric response of liquids reflects both reorientation of single molecular dipoles and collective modes, i.e., dipolar cross-correlations. A recent theory predicts the latter to produce an additional slow peak in the dielectric loss spectrum. Following this idea we argue that in supercooled liquids the high-frequency power law exponent of the dielectric loss β should be correlated with the degree of dipolar order, i.e., the Kirkwood correlation factor g_{K}. This notion is confirmed for 25 supercooled liquids. While our findings support recent theoretical work the results are shown to violate the earlier Kivelson-Madden theory.

What is behind a gas stream scrubbing liquid? Monoethanolamine/water mixtures as seen by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy

High-quality dielectric data for monoethanolamine (MEA)/water mixtures covering the entire miscibility range are presented. For MEA concentrations c1 ≥ 1 M the obtained complex permittivity spectra, covering the frequency range from 0.05 to 89 GHz, are best described by a sum of four Debye relaxations. Modes at ∼3 GHz and ∼10 GHz are solute-specific. Whilst the first can be assigned to MEA aggregates, the second is a composite arising from "free" MEA dipoles with dynamically retarded water hydrating them. The relaxations at ∼18 GHz and ∼200 GHz essentially reflect the cooperative H-bond fluctuations of more-or-less unperturbed "bulk" water, albeit with minor solute contributions. Evaluation of the bulk-water amplitude reveals that in water-rich mixtures (c1 ≤ 3.5 M) Zt = 3.5 ± 0.2 H2O molecules hydrate a MEA molecule. Then Zt drops linearly, reaching zero for neat MEA. Supported by the literature, this concentration dependence suggests that only H2O molecules H-bonded to the NH2 and OH groups of MEA contribute to Zt. At concentrations beyond hydration shell overlap (c1 ≥ 3.5 M) these H-bonds are gradually eliminated, while new interactions with neighboring MEA molecules are formed. From the evaluation of the MEA-specific amplitudes we conclude that for c1 ≥ 2 M, including neat MEA, ∼35% of the solute molecules are in aggregates, where breaking the intermolecular NH⋯O hydrogen bond determines the dynamics.

From Single-Particle to Collective Dynamics in Supercooled Liquids

It has been recognized recently that the considerable difference between photon correlation (PCS) and dielectric (BDS) susceptibility spectra arises from their respective association with single-particle and collective dynamics. This work presents a model that captures the narrower width and shifted peak position of collective dynamics (BDS), given the single-particle susceptibility derived from PCS studies. Only one adjustable parameter is required to connect the spectra of collective and single-particle dynamics. This constant accounts for cross-correlations between molecular angular velocities and the ratio of the first- and second-rank single-particle relaxation times. The model is tested for three supercooled liquids, glycerol, propylene glycol, and tributyl phosphate, and is shown to provide a good account of the difference between BDS and PCS spectra. Because PCS spectra appear to be rather universal across a range of supercooled liquids, this model provides a first step toward rationalizing the more material-specific dielectric loss profiles.

Nongeneric structural-relaxation shape of supercooled liquids: Insights from linear and nonlinear experiments on propylene glycol

Currently, there is a debate whether the structural relaxation of polar liquids is more faithfully reflected (i) by the generically shaped response detected by dynamic light scattering or rather (ii) by the slower, more stretched, system-dependent susceptibility response recorded by dielectric spectroscopy. In this work, nonlinearly induced transients probing structural relaxation reveal that near the glass transition, alternative (ii) is appropriate for propylene glycol. Results from shear rheology and from calorimetry corroborate this finding, underscoring the previously advanced notion (Moch et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 228001, 2022) that the reorientationally probed structural susceptibility of viscous liquids displays a nongeneric spectral shape.

One experiment makes a direct comparison of structural recovery with equilibrium relaxation

For a molecular glass-former, propylene glycol, we directly compare the equilibrium fluctuations, measured as "structural" relaxation in the regime of linear response, with structural recovery, i.e., field induced physical aging in the limit of a small perturbation. The two distinct correlation functions are derived from a single experiment. Because the relaxation time changes only 2% during structural recovery, no aging model is needed to analyze the results. Although being conceptually different processes, dielectric relaxation and recovery dynamics are observed to be identical for propylene glycol, whereas single-particle dynamics as seen by photon correlation spectroscopy are significantly faster. This confirms the notion that structural recovery and aging are governed by all modes observed by dielectric spectroscopy, i.e., including cross correlations, not only by single-particle dynamics. A comparison with analogous results for other materials suggests that the relation between relaxation and recovery time scales may be material specific rather than universal.