Molecular mobility around the glass transition temperature: a mini review

Abstract : This paper consists of a non-exhaustive review of molecular mobility in relation to the glass transition, based on both synthetic polymer and food science literature. The glass transition phenomenon is a concept originally developed for synthetic polymers, which has been applied to many food products particularly with a view to predict their stability over time or temperature or water content. The glass transition is considered to be the point at which the material changes from having a solid-like behaviour to a more malleable or liquid-like. This paper proposes an assessment of the different levels of mobility existing below and above the glass transition temperature, with some examples of their consequences on the physical properties of the products.