Polymer Self-Diffusion in Entangled Systems

Abstract This article has focused on work in the last several years, a period during which theoretical insights and experimental techniques pertaining to polymer self-diffusion in entangled systems have advanced enormously. The point has been to lay out for the reader the means by which this information has been developed and to lay out the available information itself. The objective has been to facilitate comparisons regarding use and applicability of techniques, quality, and interpretations of data and the trends present in the various data. Presentation of the information in this style leads to a few definite conclusions and a larger number of problems which come more sharply than before into focus as ripe for continued study. Specific conclusions which seem reasonable at this point are: The molecular weight dependence of Ds is, in entangled systems, an inverse square law, consistent with the prediction of the reptation model. The self-diffusion coefficient becomes quite insensitive to the matrix molec...