Network models of concentrated polymer solutions derived from the yamamoto network theory

Several choices of the functions describing the creation and destruction processes of entanglement junctions in the Yamamoto network theory of concentrated polymer solutions have been examined. These choices are simple functions of the extension of the network segments bridging the entanglement points and it is demonstrated that the moments of the distribution function describing the network conformation can be solved for analytically. This has been done for a wide range of two‐dimensional flows, both for the steady state and transient start‐up and relaxation problems. The macroscopic stress tensor and flow birefringence are calculated and a variety of nonlinear effects are predicted and discussed.