Threading-Unthreading Transition of Linear-Ring Polymer Blends in Extensional Flow

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Anine Borger
  • Wendi Wang
  • Thomas C. O'Connor
  • Ting Ge
  • Gary S. Grest
  • Grethe V. Jensen
  • Junyoung Ahn
  • Taihyun Chang
  • Ole Hassager
  • Mortensen, Kell
  • Dimitris Vlassopoulos
  • Qian Huang

Adding small amounts of ring polymers to a matrix of their linear counterparts is known to increase the zero-shear-rate viscosity because of linear-ring threading. Uniaxial extensional rheology measurements show that, unlike its pure linear and ring constituents, the blend exhibits an overshoot in the stress growth coefficient. By combining these measurements with ex-situ small-angle neutron scattering and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, this overshoot is shown to be driven by a transient threading-unthreading transition of rings embedded within the linear entanglement network. Prior to unthreading, embedded rings deform affinely with the linear entanglement network and produce a measurably stronger elongation of the linear chains in the blend compared to the pure linear melt. Thus, rings uniquely alter the mechanisms of transient elongation in linear polymers.

Original languageEnglish
JournalACS Macro Letters
Volume9
Issue number10
Pages (from-to)1452-1457
Number of pages6
ISSN2161-1653
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 Oct 2020

    Research areas

  • MELT RHEOLOGY, STRESS-RELAXATION, SELF-DIFFUSION, VISCOSITY, POLYSTYRENES, MOLECULES, DYNAMICS, SHEAR

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