• The Korean Journal of Rheology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.234-246
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• 1998

The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between steady shear flow (nonlinear behavior) and dynamic viscoelastic (linear behavior) properties for concentrated polymer solutions. Using both an Advanced Rheometic Expansion System(ARES) and a Rheometics Fluids Spectrometer (RFS II), the steady shear flow viscosity and the dynamic viscoelastic properties of concentrated poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO), polyisobutylene(PIB), and polyacrylamide(PAAm) solutions have been measured over a wide range of shear rates and angular frequencies. The validity of some previously proposed relationships was compared with experimentally measured data. In addition, the effect of solution concentration on the applicability of the Cox-Merz rule was examined by comparing the steady flow viscosity and the magnitude of the complex viscosity Finally, the applicability of the Cox-Merz rule was theoretically discussed by introducing a nonlinear strain measure. Main results obtained from this study can be summarized as follows : (1) Among the previously proposed relationships dealt with in this study, the Cox-Merz rule implying the equivalence between the steady flow viscosity and the magnitude of the complex viscosity has the best validity. (2) For polymer solutions with relatively lower concentration, the steady flow viscosity is higher than the complex viscosity. However, such a relation between the two viscosities is reversed for highly concentrated polymer solutions. (3) A nonlinear strain measure is decreased with increasing stran magnitude, after reaching the maximum value in small strain range. This behavior is different from the theoretical prediction demonstrating the shape of a damped oscillatory function. (4) The applicability of the Cox-Merz rule is influenced by the $\beta$ value, which indicates the slope of a nonlinear stain measure (namely, the degree of nonlinearity) at large shear deformations. The Cox-Merz rule shows better applicability as the $\beta$ value becomes smaller.