Cooperative rearranging region size determination by temperature modulated DSC in semi-crystalline poly(l-lactide acid)

Thermal analyzes have been performed on poly(l-lactide acid) (PLLA) annealed at 353 K for different durations in order to obtain a crystallinity degree varying between 0% and 42%. From temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry investigations, we have calculated the average volume of a cooperative rearranging region (CRR) at the glass transition temperature ξTg3, according to the method developed by Donth. The results show that the presence of crystalline phase in PLLA amorphous matrix implies modifications on structural relaxation phenomena, in particular on the average number of monomer units relaxing in the same time at the glass transition temperature.