Quasielastic neutron scattering measurements of fast process and methyl group dynamics in glassy poly(vinyl acetate)

The dynamics of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) in the glassy state has been investigated using a range of neutron spectrometers, sampling complementary energy and momentum transfer ranges. By combining the analysis of elastic window scan data at high resolution, medium resolution quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) spectra and low resolution time-of-flight measurements we identify the molecular processes occurring in PVAc, below the polymer glass transition. Our QENS results are in agreement with the literature data for the methyl group rotation but we also find evidence for a fast process, with activation energy of 1.9 kJ/mol. Although the different instruments provide only limited dynamic information, we attempt to give a homogeneous description of molecular motion across the different energies and Q ranges.