Temperature versus density effects in glassforming liquids and polymers: A scaling hypothesis and its consequences

We discuss the validity and the outcome of a scaling hypothesis proposed by us some years ago, according to which the influence of the density on the slowing down of flow and relaxation in glassforming liquids and polymers is described through a single effective interaction energy E.(p). We stress the formal consequences and the physical meaning of the scaling. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.