Analysis by the Two-Fluids Model of the Dynamical Behavior of a Viscoelastic Fluid Probed by Dynamic Light Scattering

TL;DR

This study applies the two-fluids model to analyze the dynamic light scattering data of a viscoelastic fluid composed of microemulsion droplets linked by telechelic polymers, extending the model's application to Maxwellian media.

Contribution

The paper extends the two-fluids model to Maxwellian viscoelastic media and demonstrates its effectiveness in describing the dynamics of a microemulsion-based network.

Findings

The two-fluids model accurately describes the experimental data.

Comparison of networks with different sticker residence times reveals distinct dynamic behaviors.

The model provides a quantitative understanding of the viscoelastic properties.

Abstract

The dynamic properties of a model transient network have been studied by dynamic light scattering. The network is formed by microemulsion droplets linked by telechelic polymers (modified hydrophilic polymers with two grafted hydrophobic stickers). We compare the properties of two networks that are similar but for the residence time of the hydrophobic stickers in the droplets. The results are interpreted according to the so-called two-fluids model, which was initially developed for semidilute polymer solutions and which we extend here to any Maxwellian viscoelastic medium characterized by its elastic modulus and terminal time as measured by rheology. This model is found to describe consistently and quantitatively the experimental observations.