title: Reaching the ideal glass transition by aging polymer films.
abstract: Searching for the ideal glass transition, we exploit the ability of glassy polymer films to explore low energy states in remarkably short time scales. We use 30 nm thick polystyrene (PS) films, which in the supercooled state basically display the bulk polymer equilibrium thermodynamics and dynamics. We show that in the glassy state, this system exhibits two mechanisms of equilibrium recovery. The faster one, active well below the kinetic glass transition temperature (Tg), allows massive enthalpy recovery. This implies that the 'fictive' temperature (Tf) reaches values as low as the predicted Kauzmann temperature (TK) for PS. Once the thermodynamic state corresponding to Tf= TKis reached, no further decrease of enthalpy is observed. This is interpreted as a signature of the ideal glass transition.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Física de Materiales, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain. daniele.cangialosi@ehu.eus.
authors.forename: Virginie M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.affiliation: Centro de Física de Materiales, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain. daniele.cangialosi@ehu.eus.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5782-7725
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cangialosi
authors.affiliation: Centro de Física de Materiales, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain. daniele.cangialosi@ehu.eus and Departamento de Física de Materiales (UPV/EHU), Apartado 1072, 20080 San Sebastián, Spain.
authors.forename: Angel
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6125-8214
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alegría
authors.affiliation: Centro de Física de Materiales, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain. daniele.cangialosi@ehu.eus and Departamento de Física de Materiales (UPV/EHU), Apartado 1072, 20080 San Sebastián, Spain and Donostia International Physics Center, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 4, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Colmenero