Polymer orientation flow studies

The work herein not only supports previous studies, but opened turther queries to be investigated. For example, if the alignment of the polymer molecules attributes to the local increase strength axial to the flow, what is then h pening in the direction transverse to the flow, i.e. the interaction between the micromechaiucal deformation and local orientation Future studies plan to ineorporate different molecular weights of polymer to note the difference in aiusotropic bdiavior and also look at the affect VAIM has on filled polymer systems. 

We now report that in the region of the absorption band the flow linear dichroism of a solution of 1 is positive (Fig. 3). Assuming that the nature of the flow orientation is of the usual kind, i.e., that the polymer chains in a random coil conformation which dominates in solution (34) tend to align with the flow direction, this observation provides additional support for the absolute assignment of the transition moment direction along the chain direction, even in solution. Similar conclusions based on polarization studies on a stretched film of poly(di-n-hexyl silane) have recently been reported (36). 

The same authors 369,3701 also obtained similar results if the liquid crystal solvent was aligned by flow during the polymerization. They showed that the polymerization conditions lead to alignment of the fibrils within the polymer mass and of the chains within the fibrils polymers produced in this way could also be doped to a conductivity of 104 S cm-1 371). The morphology of polyacetylene produced by polymerization in a liquid crystal solvent, aligned both magnetically and by flow, has been studied by Montaner et al. 371). They show that the polymer film is made up of very long fibrils built from microfibrils. In one fibril, the orientation of microcrystalline domains with respect to the fibril axis is very well defined, whilst the orientation of the different fibrils in the sample spreads over 20°. 

Since many of the aromatic polymers studied [e.g., poly(n-hexylphenylsilane)] are also quite rigid in solution and optical microscopy studies on concentrated solutions often show signs of long range order, a partially oriented sample of this material was prepared by shear flow extension. Third harmonic measurements at 1.064 /im on partially oriented films prepared in this... 

Optical measurements often have a greater sensitivity compared with mechanical measurements. Semidilute polymers, for example, may not be sufficiently viscous to permit reliable transient stress measurements or steady state normal stress measurements. Chow and coworkers [113] used two-color flow birefringence to study semidilute solutions of the semirigid biopolymer, collagen, and used the results to test the Doi and Edwards model discussed in section 7.1.6.4. That work concluded that the model could successfully account for the observed birefringence and orientation angles if modifications to the model proposed by Marrucci and Grizzuti [114] that account for polydispersity, were used. 

Case Study 2 Dynamics of Multicomponent Polymer Melts - Infrared Dichroism 213 tures become oriented in the flow direction. 

We presented some applications of the bireftingence techniques for the characterization of orientation and stress field in both simple and complex deformations. The validity of the stress optical law in these particular flow situations was checked and assessed. Birefringence techniques appear to be very powerful for the study of polymer melt processing and for the understanding of polymer flow behaviour. 

As mentioned earlier, suspensions of particulate rods or fibers are almost always non-Brownian. Such fiber suspensions are important precursors to composite materials that use fiber inclusions as mechanical reinforcement agents or as modifiers of thermal, electrical, or dielectrical properties. A common example is that of glass-fiber-reinforced composites, in which the matrix is a thermoplastic or a thermosetting polymer (Darlington et al. 1977). Fiber suspensions are also important in the pulp and paper industry. These materials are often molded, cast, or coated in the liquid suspension state, and the flow properties of the suspension are therefore relevant to the final composite properties. Especially important is the distribution of fiber orientations, which controls transport properties in the composite. There have been many experimental and theoretical studies of the flow properties of fibrous suspensions, which have been reviewed by Ganani and Powell (1985) and by Zimsak et al. (1994). 

Rigidity of the mesogens play the central role for most of the properties of these types of polymers (22). Jackson and Kuhfuss (1 ) have shown already in 1976 how easily acquire PLCs orientation during processing. Influence of the type of flow on orientation and texture of PLC copolyesters such as ours was studied by Ide and Ophir (42) and by Viola e.a. f46. ... 

We have seen that it can be difficult to reach the critical concentration required to observe an isotropic-anisotropic transition because concentrated suspensions of colloids are not always stable. However, orientation of flexible polymers as well as of anisotropic particles in suspension can be induced by flow, a phenomenon that has long been observed, reported, and studied. This phenomenon is especially strong when a pretransitional effect exists, which can be easily observed by the naked eye on a sample that is shaken between crossed polarizers (see for example the section on clays). In these systems, birefringence is induced via mechanical forces, like the shear stresses in a laminar flow ( Maxwell-dy-namo-optic effect ). 

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