Rheology dilute solution molecular theorie

The zero shear viscosity scales with Nf" to contrast Af dependence for isotropic polymers [20] So far, we have examined the dynamics of rod-Uke macromolecules in isotropic semi-dilute solution. For anisotropic LCP solutions in which the rods are oriented in a certain direction, the diffusion constant increases, and the viscosity decreases, but their scaling behavior with the molecular weight is expected to be unchanged [2,17], Little experimental work has been reported on this subject. The dynamics of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer melts may be considered as a special case of the concentrated solution with no solvent. Many experimental results [16-18] showed the strong molecular weight dependence of the melt viscosity as predicted by the Doi-Edwards theory. However, the complex rheological behaviors of TLCPs have not been well theorized. 

Finally Dill and Zimm have designed a new rheological instrument that can not only perform steady shear, but also measure transient responses, e.g., both stress relaxation and strain relaxation (creep recovery) experiments for dilute solutions. They have investigated the properties of T2 DNA, and studied, for example, the concentration dependence of Results are consistent with the theory of Muthukumar and Freed, and from the value of r, at infinite dilution the molecular weight of the DNA may be determined. 

In this chapter, we have presented the fundamentals of molecular theory for the viscoelasticity of flexible homogeneous polymers, namely the Rouse/Zimm theory for dilute polymer solutions and unentangled polymer melts, and the Doi-Edwards theory for concentrated polymer solutions and entangled polymer melts. In doing so, we have shown how the constitutive equations from each theory have been derived and then have compared theoretical prediction with experiment. The material presented in this chapter is very important for understanding how the molecular parameters of polymers are related to the rheological properties of homopolymers. 

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