A phenomenological model for linear viscoelasticity of monodisperse linear polymers

Abstract

Although the reptational model of Doi and Edwards gives a successful description of viscoelasticity of flexible linear polymers, the success is restricted to the terminal region.1 There have been several attempts to modify the Doi-Edwards model to describe wider range of time or frequency.2–6 This paper suggests a simple phenomenological model which can describe wider range of molecular weight than such molecular models can. Although our model is a phenomenological one, it is practical and convenient to predict the effect of molecular weight distribution on linear viscoelastic data because of its simple mathematical form.