Mechanisms for Kohlrausch relaxations in charging and polarization phenomena

The contributions of R. and F. Kohlrausch to the description of mechanical and dielectric relaxation in complex systems are briefly cited as background for a discussion of a theory of relaxation that derives both the Kohlrausch time-dependent relaxation rate that can be expressed in the form W0(ωct)⁻ⁿ, 0<n<l, and the Kohlrausch fractional exponential exp[−(t/τp)¹⁻ⁿ] relaxation function. Here W0 is the fundamental relaxation rate of some well-defined primitive relaxation species. Two coupled predictions are obtained. They have been experimentally verified and have led to many successful applications to conductivity and polarization phenomena relevant to electrets, as well as viscoelasticity, rheology, etc.