Time domain effects in the single-chain dynamics of semidilute and concentrated polymer solutions

Abstract

Single-chain dynamics in semidilute polymer solutions is Zimm-like on short time scales and Rouse-like on long time scales. The crossover is due to time-dependent screening of hydrodynamic interactions. We present a generalized Zimm theory for polymer dynamics in an elastic polymer network. We show that the coupled equations of motion of the polymer network–fluid system lead to a generalized Oseen tensor with a time-dependent hydrodynamic screening length. The time correlation function of the Rouse modes, monomer mean-square displacements and the single-chain dynamical structure factor are calculated.