Editing Dynamic mechanical analysis (section)

====Frequency sweep====
[[Image:Freq Sweep Chem538.jpg|thumb|325px|Figure 5. A frequency sweep test on Polycarbonate under room temperature (25 °C). Storage Modulus (E’) and Loss Modulus (E’’) were plotted against frequency. The increase of frequency “freezes” the chain movements and a stiffer behavior was observed.]]

A sample can be held to a fixed temperature and can be tested at varying frequency. Peaks in <math>\tan(\delta)</math> and in E’’ with respect to frequency can be associated with the glass transition, which corresponds to the ability of chains to move past each other. This implies that the glass transition is dependent on strain rate in addition to temperature. Secondary transitions may be observed as well.

The [[Maxwell material|Maxwell model]] provides a convenient, if not strictly accurate, description of viscoelastic materials. Applying a sinusoidal stress to a Maxwell model gives: <math> E'' = \frac{E \tau_0 \omega}{\tau_0^2 \omega^2 + 1} ,</math> where <math>\tau_0 = \eta/E</math> is the Maxwell relaxation time. Thus, a peak in E’’ is observed at the frequency <math>1/\tau_0</math>.<ref name="Young" /> A real polymer may have several different relaxation times associated with different molecular motions.