Superimposed transition mechanisms in polyvinylchloride

Summary Studies have been made of the viscoelastic behaviour of PVC in the glass-rubber transition by means of square and triangular periodic stresses, in order to find a plausible hypothesis on the appearing molecular mechanisms.In this respect it is obviously not possible to make a detailed analysis of the different types of mechanisms, based only on results from dynamic mechanical measurements. However, by using the general properties of the function logJ ₂ =g {logJ ₁} some ideas can be put forward.It is apparent that the viscoelastic behaviour stems from more than one single molecular mechanism. Simple segment movements dominate the behaviour only in the central part of the transition.At temperatures around the glass point an increase in losses and/or stiffness appears. It seems possible that this behaviour arises from the influence of the crystallites. At high temperatures a substantial increase in mechanical losses appears, which seems to be due to decomposition of widely spaced entanglements.In the plateau-zone a secondary dispersion appears which shows pronounced sensitivity to the processing conditions. At increased gelation ratio the value of the loss peak increases. As no changes in crystallinity have been observed, it is suggested that this dispersion originates from the decomposition of untrapped entanglements outside the network composed by the very small crystallites.With 4 figures     

Nonlinear rheological behavior of a concentrated spherical silica suspension

Linear and nonlinear viscoelastic properties were examined for a 50 wt% suspension of spherical silica particles (with radius of 40 nm) in a viscous medium, 2.27/1 (wt/wt) ethylene glycol/glycerol mixture. The effective volume fraction of the particles evaluated from zero-shear viscosities of the suspension and medium was 0.53. At a quiescent state the particles had a liquid-like, isotropic spatial distribution in the medium. Dynamic moduli G^* obtained for small oscillatory strain (in the linear viscoelastic regime) exhibited a relaxation process that reflected the equilibrium Brownian motion of those particles. In the stress relaxation experiments, the linear relaxation modulus G(t) was obtained for small step strain (0.2) while the nonlinear relaxation modulus G(t, ) characterizing strong stress damping behavior was obtained for large (>0.2). G(t, ) obeyed the time-strain separability at long time scales, and the damping function h() (–G(t, )/G(t)) was determined. Steady flow measurements revealed shear-thinning of the steady state viscosity () for small shear rates (< ^–1; = linear viscoelastic relaxation time) and shear-thickening for larger (>^–1). Corresponding changes were observed also for the viscosity growth and decay functions on start up and cessation of flow, + (t, ) and _– (t, ). In the shear-thinning regime, the and dependence of ₊(t,) and _–(t,) as well as the dependence of () were well described by a BKZ-type constitutive equation using the G(t) and h() data. On the other hand, this equation completely failed in describing the behavior in the shear-thickening regime. These applicabilities of the BKZ equation were utilized to discuss the shearthinning and shear-thickening mechanisms in relation to shear effects on the structure (spatial distribution) and motion of the suspended particles.Dedicated to the memory of Prof. Dale S. Parson     

Group Classification of Equations of the Form y″ = f(x,y)

The problem of classification of ordinary differential equations of the form y = f(x,y) by admissible local Lie groups of transformations is solved. Standard equations are listed on the basis of the equivalence concept. The classes of equations admitting a oneparameter group and obtained from the standard equations by invariant extension are described.     

Application of the method of integral diffusion to investigation of turbulent transfer

A number of authors have critically examined semiempirical mixing length theories [1]. A defect of these theories is connected with the fact that the magnitude of the mixing length, which is assumed to be small in constructing the theory, turns out in experiments to be comparable with the characteristic dimensions of the flow region. Thus, the concept of volume convection [2–4] or integral diffusion [5], which is understood to be a transfer mechanism in which the friction stress is not expressed in terms of the velocity gradient, is introduced along with the concept of gradient diffusion. In addition, there are a number of experimental papers [6] in which it is shown that the turbulent friction stress cannot be equal to zero at the place in the flow where the derivative of the velocity is equal to zero. Mixing length theory does not describe this effect.It is possible to generalize mixing length theory [7–9] in a way which eliminates these defects. Flow of an incompressible fluid is considered.     

Rheology of molten polymers

Summary TheCross equation describes the flow of pseudoplastic liquids in terms of an upper and a lower Newtonian viscosity corresponding to infinite and zero shear, and ₀, and of a third material constant related to the mechanism of rupture of linkages between particles in the intermediate, non-Newtonian flow regime, Calculation of of bulk polymers is important, since it cannot be determined experimentally. The equation was applied to the melt flow data of two low density polyethylenes at three temperatures.Using data in the non-Newtonian region covering 3 decades of shear rate to extrapolate to the zero-shear viscosity resulted in errors amounting to about onethird of the measured ₀ values. The extrapolated upper Newtonian viscosity was found to be independent of temperature within the precision of the data, indicating that it has a small activation energy.The ₀ values were from 100 to 1,400 times larger than the values at the corresponding temperatures.The values of were large compared to the values found for colloidal dispersions and polymer solutions, but decreased with increasing temperature. This shows that shear is the main factor in reducing chain entanglements, but that the contribution of Brownian motion becomes greater at higher temperatures.

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Zusammenfassung Die Gleichung vonCross beschreibt das Fließverhalten von pseudoplastischen Flüssigkeiten durch drei Konstante: Die obereNewtonsche Viskosität (bei sehr hohen Schergeschwindigkeiten), die untereNewtonsche Viskosität ₀ (bei Scherspannung Null), und eine Materialkonstante, die vom Brechen der Bindungen zwischen Partikeln im nicht-Newtonschen Fließbereich abhängt. Die Berechnung von ist wichtig für unverdünnte Polymere, wo man sie nicht messen kann.Die Gleichung wurde auf das Fließverhalten der Schmelzen von zwei handelsüblichen Hochdruckpolyäthylenen bei drei Temperaturen angewandt. Die Werte von ₀, durch Extrapolation von gemessenen scheinbaren Viskositäten im Schergeschwindigkeitsbereich von 10 bis 4000 sec^–1 errechnet, wichen bis 30% von den gemessenen ₀-Werten ab. Die Aktivierungsenergie der war so klein, daß die-Werte bei den drei Temperaturen innerhalb der Genauigkeit der Extrapolation anscheinend gleich waren. Die ₀-Werte waren 100 bis 1400 mal größer als die-Werte.Im Verhältnis zu kolloidalen Dispersionen und verdünnten Polymerlösungen war das der Schmelzen groß, nahm aber mit steigender Temperatur ab. Deshalb wird die Verhakung der Molekülketten hauptsächlich durch Scherbeanspruchung vermindert, aber der Beitrag derBrownschen Bewegung nimmt mit steigender Temperatur zu.

     

Transport in ordered and disordered porous media V: Geometrical results for two-dimensional systems

In this paper we continue the geometrical studies of computer generated two-phase systems that were presented in Part IV. In order to reduce the computational time associated with the previous three-dimensional studies, the calculations presented in this work are restricted to two dimensions. This allows us to explore more thoroughly the influence of the size of the averaging volume and to learn something about the use of anon-representative region in the determination of averaged quantities.

Nomenclature

Roman Letters A interfacial area of the– interface associated with the local closure problem, m² - a _i i=1, 2, gaussian probability distribution used to locate the position of particles - l unit tensor - characteristic length for the-phase particles, m - ⁰ reference characteristic length for the-phase particles, m - characteristic length for the-phase, m - _i i=1,2,3 lattice vectors, m - m convolution product weighting function - m _V special convolution product weighting function associated with a unit cell - n _i i=1, 2 integers used to locate the position of particles - n unit normal vector pointing from the-phase toward the-phase - r _p position vector locating the centroid of a particle, m - r gaussian probability distribution used to determine the size of a particle, m - r ₀ characteristic length of an averaging region, m - V averaging volume, m³ - V volume of the-phase contained in the averaging volume,V, m³ - x position of the centroid of an averaging area, m - x ₀ reference position of the centroid of an averaging area, m - y position vector locating points in the-phase relative to the centroid, m Greek Letters V /V, volume average porosity - _{a i} standard deviation ofa _i - _r standard deviation ofr - intrinsic phase average of      

On the vanishing of the additive measures of strain and rotation for finite deformations

Explicit formulae for the finite strain and rotation measures are given, in the cases when either one of the infinitesimal tensors of strain and rotation vanishes. Conversely, when the finite strain or rotation measure vanishes, explicit formulae for the infinitesimal tensors of strain and rotation are also obtained.     

On the cross-effects of coupled macroscopic transport equations in porous media

In this paper, the derivation of macroscopic transport equations for this cases of simultaneous heat and water, chemical and water or electrical and water fluxes in porous media is presented. Based on themicro-macro passage using the method of homogenization of periodic structures, it is shown that the resulting macroscopic equations reveal zero-valued cross-coupling effects for the case of heat and water transport as well as chemical and water transport. In the case of electrical and water transport, a nonsymmetrical coupling was found.Notations b mobility - c concentration of a chemical - D rate of deformation tensor - D molecular diffusion coefficient - D _ij ^eff macroscopic (or effective) diffusion tensor - electric field - E ₀ initial electric field - k _ij molecular tensor - j, j ^*, current densities - K _ij macroscopic permeability tensor - l characteristic length of the ERV or the periodic cell - L characteristic macroscopic length - L _ijkl coupled flows coefficients - n _i unit outward vector normal to - p pressure - q _t ,q _t ⁺ , heat fluxes - q _c ,q _c ⁺ , chemical fluxes - s specific entropy or the entropy density - S entropy per unit volume - t time variable - t _ij local tensor - T absolute temperature - v _i velocity - V ₀ initial electric potential - V electric potential - x macroscopic (or slow) space variable - y microscopic (or fast) space variable - _i local vectorial field - _i local vectorial field - electric charge density on the solid surface - , bulk and shear viscosities of the fluid - _ij local tensor - _ij local tensor - _i local vector - _ij molecular conductivity tensor - _ij ^eff effective conductivity tensor - homogenization parameter - fluid density - ₀ ion-conductivity of fluid - _ij dielectric tensor - _i ¹ , _i ² , _i ³ local vectors - ⁴ local scalar - _S solid volume in the periodic cell - _L volume of pores in the periodic cell - boundary between _S and _L - ^s rate of entropy production per unit volume - total volume of the periodic cell - _l volume of pores in the cell On leave from the Politechnika Gdanska; ul. Majakowskiego 11/12, 80-952, Gdask, Poland.     

Flow birefringence of polymer melts: Application to the investigation of time dependent rheological properties

Summary Transient stresses including normal stresses, which are developed in a polymer melt by a suddenly imposed constant rate of shear, are investigated by mechanical measurement and, indirectly, with the aid of the flow birefringence technique. For the latter purpose use is made of the so-called stress-optical law, which is carefully checked.It appears that the essentially linear model of the rubberlike liquid, as proposed byLodge, is capable of describing the behaviour of polymer melts rather well, if the applied total shear does not exceed unity. In order to describe also steady state values of the stresses successfully, one should extend measurements to extremely low shear rates.These statements are verified with the aid of a method which was originally designed bySchwarzl andStruik for the practical calculation of interrelations between linear viscoelastic functions. In the present paper dynamic shear moduli are used as reference functions.

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Zusammenfassung Mit der Zeit anwachsende Spannungen, darunter auch Normalspannungen, wie sie sich nach dem plötzlichen Anlegen einer konstanten Schergeschwindigkeit in einer Polymerschmelze entwickeln, werden mit Hilfe mechanischer Messungen und indirekt mit Hilfe der Strömungsdoppelbrechung untersucht. Für den letzteren Zweck wird das sogenannte spannungsoptische Gesetz herangezogen, dessen Gültigkeit sorgfältig überprüft wird.Es ergibt sich, daß das im Wesen lineare Modell der gummiartigen Flüssigkeit, wie es vonLodge vorgeschlagen wurde, sich recht gut zur Beschreibung des Verhaltens von Polymerschmelzen eignet, solange der im ganzen angelegte Schub den Wert Eins nicht überschreitet. Um auch stationäre Werte der Spannungen in die Beschreibung erfolgreich einzubeziehen, sollte man die Messungen bis zu extrem niedrigen Schergeschwindigkeiten ausdehnen.Die gemachten Feststellungen werden mit Hilfe einer Methode verifiziert, die vonSchwarzl undStruik ursprünglich für die praktische Berechnung von Beziehungen zwischen Zustandsfunktionen entwickelt wurde, die dem linear viskoelastischen Verhalten entsprechen. In der vorliegenden Veröffentlichung dienen die dynamischen Schubmoduln als Bezugsfunktionen.

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a _T shift factor - B _ij Finger deformation tensor - C stress-optical coefficient, (m²/N) - f (p _jl ) undetermined scalar function - G shear modulus, (N/m²) - G(t) time dependent shear modulus, (N/m²) - G() shear storage modulus, (N/m²) - G() shear loss modulus, (N/m²) - G _r reduced shear storage modulus, (N/m²) - G _r reduced shear loss modulus, (N/m²) - H() shear relaxation time spectrum, (N/m²) - k Boltzmann constant, (Nm/°K) - n _ik refractive index tensor - p undetermined hydrostatic pressure, (N/m²) - p _ij ,p _ik stress tensor, (N/m²) - p ₂₁ shear stress, (N/m²) - p ₁₁ –p ₂₂ first normal stress difference, (N/m²) - p ₂₂ –p ₃₃ second normal stress difference, (N/m²) - q shear rate, (s^–1) - t, t time, (s) - T absolute temperature, (°K) - T ₀ reference temperature, (°K) - x the ratiot/ - x position vector of a material point after deformation, (m) - x position vector of a material point before deformation, (m) - ₀, ₁ constants in eq. [37] - ₀, ₁ constants in eq. [37] - shear deformation - (t, t) time dependent shear deformation - _ij unity tensor - n flow birefringence in the 1–2 plane - (q) non-Newtonian shear viscosity, (N s/m²) - ^* () complex dynamic viscosity, (N s/m²) - | ^* ()| absolute value of complex dynamic viscosity, (N s/m²) - () real part of complex dynamic viscosity, (N s/m²) - () imaginary part of complex dynamic viscosity, (N s/m²) - (t — t) memory function, (N/m² · s) - v number of effective chains per unit of volume, (m^–3) - temperature dependent density, (kg/m³) - ₀ density at reference temperatureT ₀, (kg/m³) - relaxation time, (s) - integration variable, (s) - (x) approximate intensity function - ₁ (x) error function - extinction angle - _m orientation angle of the stress ellipsoid - circular frequency, (s^–1) - 1 direction of flow - 2 direction of the velocity gradient - 3 indifferent direction - t time dependence The present investigation has been carried out under the auspices of the Netherlands Organization for the Advancement of Pure Research (Z. W. O.).North Atlantic Treaty Organization Science Post Doctoral Fellow.Research Fellow, Delft University of Technology.With 11 figures and 2 tables     

Viscoelastic swirling flow with free surface in cylindrical chambers

The flow of a viscoelastic liquid driven by the steadily rotating bottom cover of a cylindrical cup is investigated. The flow field and the shape of the free surface are determined at the lowest significant orders of the regular domain perturbation in terms of the angular velocity of the bottom cap. The meridional field superposed on a primary azimuthal field shows a structure of multiple cells. The velocity field and the shape of the free surface are strongly effected by the cylinder aspect ratio and the elasticity of the liquid. The use of this flow configuration as a free surface rheometer to determine the first two Rivlin-Ericksen constants is shown to be promising.Nomenclature R, ,Z Coordinates in the physical domain D - , , Coordinates in the rest stateD ₀ - r, ,z Dimensionless coordinates in the rest stateD ₀ - Angular velocity - Zero shear viscosity - Surface tension coefficient - Density - Dimensionless surface tension parameter - ₁, ₂ The first two Rivlin-Ericksen constants - Stream function - Dimensionless second order meridional stream function - ^* Dimensionless second normal stress function - 2 Dimensionless sum of the first and second normal stress functions - N ₁,N ₂ The first and second normal stress functions - n Unit normal vector - D Stretching tensor - A _n nth order Rivlin-Ericksen tensor - S Extra-stress - u Velocity field - U Dimensionless second order meridional velocity field - V Dimensionless first order azimuthal velocity field - p Pressure - Modified pressure field - P Dimensionless second order pressure field - J Mean curvature - a Cylinder radius - d Liquid depth at rest - D Dimensionless liquid depth at rest - h Free surface height - H Dimensionless free surface height at the second order     

The mirror relations and nonlinear viscoelasticity of polymer melts

An attempt is made to incorporate into a quasilinear viscoelastic constitutive equation of the Boltzmann superposition type the two mirror relations of Gleissle, as well as his relation between the steady-state first normal-stress difference and the shear viscosity curve. It is shown that the three relations can hold separately within this constitutive model, but not simultaneously, because they require a different nonlinear strain measure, namelyS ₁₂ () = – a ( – 1) (a = 0 for 1,a = 1 for 1) for the mirroring of the viscosities,S ₁₂ () = – a (–k ²/) (a = 0 for k, a = 1 for k) for the mirroring of the first normal-stress coefficients, and for the third relation. Here denotes the shear strain and erf the error function. Experimental data on melts of a low-density polyethylene, a high-density polyethylene and a polypropylene show that the mirror relations are passable approximations, but that the third relation meets reality surprisingly close if the right value ofk is used.     

An extension of Reiner's “Deborah Number” concept to a Wide field of rheological investigations

Summary Reiner defined a numeric, which he called theDeborah Number to represent the ratio of a relaxation time to a natural (observation) time. This implies aMaxwell model but is readily extended to complete relaxation spectra. Similar Numbers are proposed for retardation times and also for some conditions of coagulation thixotropy and for data from certain psychophysical experiments.     

On the prediction of riblet performance with engineering turbulence models

The paper reports the outcome of a numerical study of fully developed flow through a plane channel composed of ribleted surfaces adopting a two-equation turbulence model to describe turbulent mixing. Three families of riblets have been examined: idealized blade-type, V-groove and a novel U-form that, according to computations, achieves a superior performance to that of the commercial V-groove configuration. The maximum drag reduction attained for any particular geometry is broadly in accord with experiment though this optimum occurs for considerably larger riblet heights than measurements indicate. Further explorations bring out a substantial sensitivity in the level of drag reduction to the channel Reynolds number below values of 15 000 as well as to the thickness of the blade riblet. The latter is in accord with the trends of very recent, independent experimental studies.Possible shortcomings in the model of turbulence are discussed particularly with reference to the absence of any turbulence-driven secondary motions when an isotropic turbulent viscosity is adopted. For illustration, results are obtained for the case where a stress transport turbulence model is adopted above the riblet crests, an elaboration that leads to the formation of a plausible secondary motion sweeping high momentum fluid towards the wall close to the riblet and thereby raising momentum transport.Nomenclature c _f Skin friction coefficient - c _f Skin friction coefficient in smooth channel at the same Reynolds number - k Turbulent kinetic energy - K ⁺ k/ _w - h Riblet height - S Riblet width - H Half height of channel - Re Reynolds number = volume flow/unit width/ - Modified turbulent Reynolds number - R _t turbulent Reynolds numberk ²/ - P _k Shear production rate ofk, _t (U _i /x _j + U _j /x _i ) U _i /x _j - dP/dz Streamwise static pressure gradient - U _i Mean velocity vector (tensor notation) - U Friction velocity, _w/ where _w=–H dP/dz - W Mean velocity - W _b Bulk mean velocity through channel - y ⁺ yU /v. Unless otherwise stated, origin is at wall on trough plane of symmetry - Kinematic viscosity - _t Turbulent kinematic viscosity - Turbulence energy dissipation rate - Modified dissipation rate – 2(k ^1/2/x _j )² - Density - _k , Effective turbulent Prandtl numbers for diffusion ofk and      

Non-Markovian diffusion process in polymers and stretched exponential relaxation

In this contribution, we model the long-time behaviour of the desorption from an LDPE sheet, using non-Markovian random walks. It is shown that the mass of penetrant in the final stage of desorption decays as t ^–m , where m is proportional to the exponent of the probability distribution (t) t ^–(1+u), 0 < v < 1. Furthermore, it is shown that this model may lead to the so-called mechanical stretched exponential relaxation, and that Wagner's memory function can be obtained as a special case.Presented at the second conference Recent Developments in Structured Continua, May 23–25, 1990, in Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada     

Analytical evaluation of stress-strain test data

An analytical model for deducing the actual stress-strain properties from laboratory test results is discussed. As an illustration, an elastic bilinear material is used for unconfined cylindrical compression test conditions, as simulated with a finite element analysis. The results obtained are applicable for assisting in evaluating measured strength and stiffness properties of some clay soils, concrete test cylinders, concrete cores, and rock cores.The quantitative results of this study can be used for interpreting measured stress-strain data for unconfined compression test conditions. The error in measured results is shown to be influenced by Poisson's ratio, length-to-diameter ratio of the specimen, end condition, and ratio of inelastic modulus to initial elastic modulus. Curves for adjusting the measured results to the theoretical results are presented.Nomenclature D specimen diameter - E _i initial elastic stiffness modulus - E _y elastic stiffness modulus beyond the yield stress, plastic or inelastic modulus - L specimen length - axial strain - _av average strain - _g gage length strain - _y yield strain - Poisson's ratio - compressive stress - _av average stress - _t theoretical compressive stress - _y yield stress - _ym measured stress at the yield strain     

Nonsimilar Solutions for Mixed Convection in Non‐Newtonian Fluids Along a Vertical Plate in a Porous Medium

A nonsimilar boundary layer analysis is presented for the problem of mixed convection in powerlaw type nonNewtonian fluids along a vertical plate with powerlaw wall temperature distribution. The mixed convection regime is divided into two regions, namely,the forced convection dominated regime and the free convection dominated regime. The two solutions are matched. Numerical results are presented for the details of the velocity and temperature fields. A discussion is provided for the effect of viscosity index on the surface heat transfer rate.     

Rheological behaviour of two-phase flow of solid particles in a gas

The present investigation was concerned with the rheological behaviour of dilute suspensions of solid particles in a gas in a vertical cocurrent flow moving upwards. Starting from the experimentally determined dependence of the pressure drop on the concentration of solid particles and the Reynolds number of the carrier medium in the steady flow region, the rheological parameters were estimated using pseudo-shear diagrams. Air was the carrier medium and the dispersed phase was one of six fractions of polypropylene powder and five fractions of glass ballotini. The results show that the investigated two-phase systems have pseudoplastic character which becomes more pronounced with increases in concentration, equivalent diameter and density of solid particles in the flowing suspension. C _d coefficient of particle resistance - d _e equivalent diameter of particles - D column diameter - Fr Froude number - g gravitational acceleration - K rheological parameter - L length - n rheological parameter - p _t pressure drop due to friction - p _m total pressure drop - p _ag pressure drop due to acceleration of the gas phase - p _as pressure drop due to acceleration of the solid phase - p _g hydrostatic pressure of the gas phase - p _s specific effective weight of the dispersed phase - r radius - Re Reynolds number - Re _p Reynolds number of a particle - Re _G generalized Reynolds number - Re _G1 generalized Reynolds number relating to the end of the laminar flow region - Re _G2 generalized Reynolds number relating to the beginning of the turbulent flow region - w _z axial component of velocity - u _t steady free-fall velocity of a single particle - w average velocity - w _g average velocity of the gas phase - w _s average velocity of the dispersed phase of solid particles - relative mass fraction of solid particles - x _s volume fraction of solid particles - _g coefficient of pressure drop due to friction - µ dynamic viscosity - _g density of the gas phase - _m density of the suspension - _s density of solid particles - _ds density of the dispersed phase - _w shear stress at the wall     

Unsteady supersonic flow around blunt bodies with detached shock wave

The numerical method of calculating the supersonic three-dimensional flow about blunt bodies with detached shock wave presented in [1–3] is applied to the case of unsteady flow. The formulation of the unsteady problem is analogous to that of [4], which assumes smallness of the unsteady disturbances.The paper presents some results of a study of the unsteady flow about blunt bodies over a wide range of variation of the Mach number M=1.50– and dimensionless oscillation frequency l/V=0–1.0. A comparison is made with the results obtained from the Newton theory.     

Evolution of time constants during sol-gel transition

In developing a rheological constitutive equation for crosslinking polymers the determination and explanation of time constants are of great importance. For stoichiometrically balanced and imbalanced reactions of polydimethylsiloxane and polyurethane model polymers with appropriate cross-linkers, it is shown that the experimental data for the storage and loss moduli are well fitted within a large frequency range by a linear rheological constitutive equation with a truncated power law relaxation function.Special attention is given to the problem of estimating the different time constants. A method is proposed for the determination of the terminal relaxation time (in the case below the gel point) and a characteristic retardation time (in the case above the gel point) from the intersection points of the high and low frequency asymptotes of the storage modulus.     

Numerical analysis of the branching of couette flow between concentric cylinders for various wave numbers

The character of stability loss of the circular Couette flow, when the Reynolds number R passes through the critical value R₀, is investigated within a broad range of variation of the wave numbers. The Lyapunov-Schmidt method is used [1, 2]; the boundary-value problems for ordinary differential equations arising in the case of its realization are solved numerically on a computer. It is shown that the branching character substantially depends on the wave number . For all a, excluding a certain interval (₁, ₂), the usual postcritical branching takes place: at a small supercriticality the circular flow loses stability and is softly excited into a secondary stationary flow — stable Taylor vortices. For wave numbers from the interval (₁,₂) a hard excitation of Taylor vortices takes place: at a small subcriticality R=R₀–² the secondary mode is unstable and merges with the Couette flow for 0; however, for a small supercriticality in the neighborhood of a circular flow there exist no stationary modes which are different.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 132–135, May–June, 1976.