Dielectric relaxation and rheological behavior of supramolecular polymeric liquid

A model self-complementary supramolecular polymer based on thymine and diamidopyridine triple hydrogen-bonding motifs has been synthesized, and its dielectric and rheological behavior has been investigated. The formation of supramolecular polymers has been unequivocally demonstrated by nuclear magnetic resonance, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry with traveling wave ion mobility separation, dielectric spectroscopy, and rheology. The dynamical behaviors of this associating polymer generally conform to those of type-A polymers, with a low-frequency chain relaxation and a high-frequency α relaxation visible in both rheological and dielectric measurements. The dielectric chain relaxation shows the ideal symmetric Debye-like shape, resembling the peculiar features of hydrogen-bonding monoalcohols. Detailed analysis shows that there exists a weak decoupling between the mechanical terminal relaxation and dielectric Debye-like relaxation. The origin of the Debye-like dielectric relaxation is further discussed in the light of monoalcohols.