Configurational Microphase Separation in Elongational Flow of an Entangled Polymer Liquid

Abstract

Manufacturing of plastics is typically performed via flow processing of a molten polymeric fluid. Until recently, conventional knowledge has maintained that the deformation of the constituent molecules under flow is homogeneous and obeys Gaussian statistics. In this study via virtual experimentation, an entangled polyethylene melt subjected to planar elongational flow displays an unanticipated microphase separation into a heterogeneous liquid composed of regions of either highly stretched or tightly coiled macromolecules, thus providing a natural realization of a biphasic coil-stretch transition.