Steady-State Compliance of Linear Polymer Solutions over a Wide Range of Concentration

Measurements of zero-shear viscosity η° and steady-state compliance J_e of linear polystyrenes with high molecular weights were carried out in good and poor solvents with a Weissenberg rheogoniometer to examine the applicability of the scaling theory of de Gennes to J_e. It was confirmed, in agreement with a previous work, that the experimental data of η° in semidilute solutions agree with predictions of the scaling theory. However, the scaling theory did not agree with the experimental data of J_e. It was concluded that the idea of a semidilute region need not be brought in to understand J_e of linear polymer solutions.