This review deals with the recent development of thermoluminescence (TL) and oxy-luminescence (OL) applied to polymers. In a typical TL measurement, light intensity illuminated from samples can be observed as a function of temperature. The obtained curve is usually called a glow curve containing one or more glow peaks. It is found a strict correlation between the TL glow curves and the relaxation spectra obtained from classical methods for polymeric materials. The pattern of TL glow curves, in both shape and intensity, vary in a characteristic manner reflecting the higher-order structure of polymer molecules.
When polymers are heated in air of oxygen atmosphere at high temperature, a light emission caused by oxydation is observed as a function of temperature. This phenomenon is called OL. The OL peak in a glow curve can be attributed to the molecular relaxation of each polymer.
The luminescent measurement, one of the most sensitive thermal analysis, applicable to a wide range of complex material. It is also suggested that future development of this analysis in various research fields.
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