Entanglement molecular weight and frequency response of sliplink networks

Brownian dynamics simulations of the linear viscoelastic response of entangled polymers have been performed, and compared quantitatively with some existing solution data at a fixed concentration and variable molecular weight. The model is a three-dimensional network where the nodes are sliplinks connecting chains in pair. The simulations make use of Langevin equations both for the node motion in space, and for the one-dimensional monomer sliding through sliplinks. Comparison with data is very satisfactory, but the molecular weight between entanglements that emerges from the model is unconventionally small. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.