A Simple Analysis Method to Predict the Large Amplitude Oscillatory Shear (LAOS) Flow Behavior of Viscoelastic Polymer Liquids

Using an Advanced Rheometric Expansion System (ARES), the dynamic viscoelastic behavior of aqueous poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) solutions with various molecular weights and different concentrations has been investigated in large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) flow fields over a wide range of strain amplitudes. In order to predict the nonlinear viscoelastic behavior of polymer liquids in strain-sweep experiments, a new analysis method including a simple empirical model was proposed and then its validity was thoroughly evaluated in this study. The results have shown that the suggested model is significant in 95% confidence level and predicts exactly the nonlinear viscoelastic behavior of polymer liquids over a whole range of strain amplitudes tested. The strain limits of linear viscoelastic response and nonlinear behavior indices were determined using this model to estimate the LAOS flow behavior in strain-sweep experiments. The master curves of strain limits and nonlinear behavior indices can be obtained by representing these data against the product of angular frequency by characteristic time. The LAOS flow behavior of polymer systems with various molecular weights and different concentrations can well be predicted from these master curves.