A STOCHASTIC DYNAMICS SIMULATION OF VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF POLYMER BLENDS - INTERMOLECULAR INTERACTION EFFECTS

Stochastic dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the visc oelastic properties of polymer blends. In this simulation, three model systems with different intermolecular interactions are used to examin e the effect of intermolecular interaction on the viscoelastic propert ies of polymer blends. Structural information such as the radius of gy ration, orientation factor and radial distribution function of polymer s is calculated from computer simulations as a function of shear rate and then is related to simulated viscoelastic properties of polymer bl ends. The effect of intermolecular interaction on the viscosity become s different depending upon the magnitude of shear rate. At lower shear rate regions, more attractive intermolecular interaction results in l ower viscosity due to chain stretching. But, at higher shear rate.regi ons, more attractive interaction results in higher viscosity due to mo re, dense packing of chains induced by the intermolecular attraction.