Rheology of associative polymer solutions

Investigations of the rheological properties of associative polymer solutions that appeared over the last 5 years are reviewed. Attention is focused on synthetic polymers containing relatively small solvophobic blocks that associate into dense spherical domains. We distinguish between polymers that contain a single associative group; so-called telechelic polymers that contain two associative groups; and polymers that contain many associative groups. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.