Nonlinear reptation in molecular based hysteresis models for polymers

Abstract

We extend the linear “stick-slip” models of Doi-Edwards and Johnson-Stacer to nonlinear tube reptation models. We then show that such models, when combined with probabilistic formulations allowing distributions of relaxation times, provide a good description of dynamic experiments with highly filled rubber in tensile deformations. A connection to other applications including dielectric polarization and reptation in other viscoelastic materials (e.g., living tissue) is noted.