We discover a new cavitation phenomenon in amorphous polymers sandwiched between two thick slide glasses from the static melt induced by thermal treatment. By quenching atactic polystyrene samples from the static melt under the glass transition temperature (Tg) and annealing them above Tg, cavities are created to relax the negative pressure. Cavity growth undergoes an Ostwald ripening-like process in cases of large molecular weight while it undergoes a viscous fingering process in cases of small molecular weight.
- Masato Hashimoto
- Susumu Fujiwara
- Tomoko Mizuguchi