A Description of the Software

The software consists of a Microsoft Excel workbook that can be downloaded from ftp //ftp.wiley.com/public/sci tech med/poly(lactic acid). There are two tabs in the workbook one is labeled plot and the other worksheet. The plot tab presents a log-log plot of the magnitude of the dynamic viscosity and the moduli (G and G ) as a function of frequency (in rad/s). 

The user can change values for independent variables in the worksheet and see the resulting predictions updated in the plot tab. In addition, tabular data are updated in the worksheet. Only three independent variables may be changed, and these are the relative viscosity, the concentration, and the temperature. These variables appear at the top of the worksheet labeled as user input and are in red. 

The concentration corresponds to the concentration used in performing a 1-point experiment according to Equation 10.17 and is entered in units of g/dL. The relative viscosity is the ratio of corrected flow times for the solution of the entered concentration to that of the pure solvent. The temperature is entered in units of degree Celsius. The reference temperature is fixed at 180°C. 

The program uses the input value of concentration and relative flow times to calculate a molecular weight according to Equations 10.17 and 10.9. This value is used to calculate a zero shear viscosity, and average values for the other parameters of the HN model discussed in the text are adopted to calculate the frequency dependence (i.e., to calculate the viscoelastic moduli as a function of shear rate). All the values adopted in the model are disclosed on the worksheet page. 

Garlotta, A literature review of poly(lactic acid). J. Polym. Environ. 2001, 9, 63-84. 

---

A statement that the submission is virus free with a description of the software (name, version, and company) used to check the files for viruses... 

---