Predictions of the ability of solution dynamics experiments to characterize long-chain structure in flexible homopolymers

• Published in: Macromolecules 1988-11, Vol.21 (11), p.3273-3285
• Main Authors: Sammler, Robert L, Schrag, John L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Properties and characterization
• ISSN: 0024-9297; 1520-5835
• DOI: 10.1021/ma00189a024

Extensive predictions are presented to illustrate the ability of linear viscoelasticity and oscillatory flow birefringence experiments to characterize long-chain structure in flexible homopolymers. The predicted dilute-solution, low-shear-rate dynamic properties are based on a recent generalization of the bead--spring model that enables such properties to be computed efficiently for any chain of identical beads connected by Hookean springs. Highly symmetric chains with linear, star, H, comb, ring, or cyclic-comb geometry are emphasized. Ways to identify samples with these geometries from their solution properties and ways to characterize the sizes of the branches and backbone, the number of branches, and location of branches attached to the backbone are presented. Characterization is expected to be difficult only for small chains and for the determination of the number of branches in star or starlike chains when it exceeds about eight. 44 ref.--AA