Rubberlike dynamics in sulphur above the lambda-transition temperature

Phys Rev Lett. 2005 Dec 16;95(25):255502. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.255502. Epub 2005 Dec 13.

Abstract

The high-frequency acoustic dynamics of sulfur across the liquid-liquid, lambda transition has been studied using inelastic x-ray scattering. The combination of these high-frequency data with lower frequency, literature data indicates that liquid sulfur develops, in the high-temperature, polymeric solution phase, some characteristic features of a rubber. In particular, entanglement coupling among polymeric chains plays a relevant role in the dynamics of this liquid phase.