Dynamics of a Polymer Network Based on Dual Sierpinski Gasket and Dendrimer: A Theoretical Approach

Polymers (Basel). 2017 Jun 24;9(7):245. doi: 10.3390/polym9070245.

Abstract

In this paper we focus on the relaxation dynamics of a multihierarchical polymer network built through the replication of the dual Sierpinski gasket in the form of a regular dendrimer. The relaxation dynamics of this multihierarchical structure is investigated in the framework of the generalized Gaussian structure model using both Rouse and Zimm approaches. In the Rouse-type approach, we show a method whereby the whole eigenvalue spectrum of the connectivity matrix of the multihierarchical structure can be determined iteratively, thereby rendering possible the analysis of the Rouse-dynamics at very large generations. Remarkably, the general picture that emerges from both approaches, even though we have a mixed growth algorithm and the monomers interactions are taken into account specifically to the adopted approach, is that the multihierarchical structure preserves the individual relaxation behaviors of its constituent components. The theoretical findings with respect to the splitting of the intermediate domain of the relaxation quantities are well supported by experimental results.

Keywords: Rouse-Zimm approaches; dynamics; independent relaxation processes; multihierarchical structure; rheological quantities.