THE RELAXATION SPECTRUM FOR GAUSSIAN NETWORKS

The relaxation spectrum has been calculated for treelike networks of phantom Gaussian chains subject to Rouse-Zimm dynamics. Our paper is an extension of earlier work by Graessley (Macromolecules 1980, 13, 372) by taking into account the bifunctional junctions dividing each chain between ⌽-functional junctions into n subchains of equal length, so that frictional interactions occur not only at multifunctional junctions but also at bifunctional ones. The relaxation spectrum and stress relaxation modulus have been calculated for varying number n of subchains. It has been found that bifunctional junctions considerably broaden the relaxation spectrum and give a more realistic description of the spectrum at shorter times. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.