Continuous time simulation of transient polymer networks: Rheological properties

In this work the rheological properties of a concentrated polymer solution or melt are investigated. The polymeric material is described as a transient network and the specific model is of the Yamamoto type with configuration dependent creation and loss rates. For the solution of the model a continuous time simulation approach is used which is based on the stochastic interpretation of the fundamental equations of the theory. The qualitative predictions for the rheological behaviour turn out to be very good. For a quantitative test the unknown configuration dependence of the loss rate function is extracted from experimental data as the solution of an inverse problem. The comparison of experimental data for planar elongational flow with the simulation results using the fitted loss rate function shows that the agreement is satisfactory, but not yet perfect. A possible reason for this finding is given.