Dynamic mechanical and dielectric relaxation behaviour of poly(methacrylate)s containing saturated rings with seven and eight members in the side‐chains

Dynamic mechanical and dielectric behaviour of poly(cycloheptyl methacrylate), poly(cycloheptylmethyl methacrylate) and poly(cyclooctyl methacrylate) have been investigated. The study was performed by determining the components of the complex relaxation modulus E* and the complex dielectric permittivity ?*. Results are discussed in terms of the effect of the size and structure of the side ring. The saturated ring group shows mechanical and dielectric activity at low temperature that is analyzed in terms of the Fuoss–Kirkwood equation. The free volume for the three polymers was determined. The conductive and interfacial phenomena were studied by MacDonald and Coelho models, where the dipolar contribution was introduced. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry