Nonlinear viscoelasticity of concentrated solution of rod-like polymers

Abstract

The nonlinear viscoelasticity of concentrated solutions of rod-like polymers in the isotropic phase was studied theoretically based on the molecular diffusion equation of Doi–Edwards. Rheological functions were calculated for both shear and elongational flows in a steady, and transient state. The viscoelastic properties of this system were found to be very similar to those of flexible polymers despite the difference in molecular shape and the mechanism of Brownian motion&and&and#x0023;x003A; e.g., shear thinning, normal stresses, and stress overshoot were predicted for rod-like polymers. © 1980, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan. All rights reserved.