ABSTRACT
Crystallisable thermoplastics and natural rubber are applied in different fields of engineering, life sciences and medicine. If such a polymer is assumed to be in an isotropic and homogeneous equilibrium state and then charged by a complex thermomechanical history, different phases can develop and inhomogeneities as well as anisotropies can be generated. After that, the polymer is in a non-equilibrium state. As mentioned by Wunderlich (2010) both the equilibrium melt and the equilibrium crystal define two distinct equilibrium states. This behaviour is typical for polymers and has to be considered when components are produced or experimental tests are carried out. Since Menczel (1981) it is accepted that crystallisable polymers consist of a mobile amorphous, a crystalline and a rigid amorphous phase in-between them. The rigid amorphous phase is interpreted as an interphase of immobile macromolecules or
For detailed studies of the glass transition of the rigid amorphous phase of different polymers the reader is referred to the articles by Wunderlich (2003) or Schick et al. (2001).
