A theory for the flow of chemically responsive polymer solutions: Equilibrium and shear-induced phase separation

Phase Separation in Polymer Solutions Induced by Shear

We numerically investigate nonlinear regimes of shear-induced phase separation in entangled polymer solutions. Use is made of a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau model describing two fluid dynamics of polymer and solvent. As a new dynamic variable a conformation tensor is introduced to represent chain deformations. Above the coexistence curve a dynamical steady states is attained, where fluctuatio...

Theory of solvation-induced reentrant phase separation in polymer solutions.

Shear-induced phase separation in solutions of wormlike micelles.

Polymer solutions in the vicinity of the theta-point are known to undergo shear-induced turbidity or phase separation. The present study shows that a similar phenomenon also occurs for certain wormlike micellar solutions. Wormlike micelles are the self-assembled counterparts of polymers and are characterized by their ability to reversibly break and recombine. In the system of interest, the mice...

Phase-separation Phenomena in Polymer Solutions

Viscoelastic phase separation in shear flow.

We numerically investigate viscoelastic phase separation in polymer solutions under shear using a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau model. The gross variables in our model are the polymer volume fraction and a conformation tensor. The latter represents chain deformations and relaxes slowly on the rheological time giving rise to a large viscoelastic stress. The polymer and the solvent obey two-flui...