Reptation model in polymer melt rheology: On the validity of a useful basic assumption

Abstract

A mixing rule as suggested by the Doi-Edwards theory is checked experimentally. For this purpose, the dynamic shear moduli as functions of circular frequency are measured first for the melts of a series of polystyrenes of narrow molecular mass distributions. After the careful preparation of mixtures the same moduli are also determined for these mixtures. A discussion is given of the remarkable but limited validity of the additivity of contributions by the single macromolecules to the mentioned moduli.