Eur. Phys. J. E (2010) 33: 307-311
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2010-10674-3

Regular Article

Polymer-brush lubrication in the limit of strong compression

¹ Institute of Physics, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Staudingerweg 7, 55099, Mainz, Germany
² Institut Charles Sadron, 23 rue du Loess, BP 84047, 67034, Strasbourg Cedex 2, France

^* e-mail: tkreer@ics.u-strasbg.fr

Received: 1 September 2010
Accepted: 20 October 2010
Published online: 25 November 2010

Abstract

By means of molecular dynamics simulations we demonstrate power laws for macroscopic transport properties of strongly compressed polymer-brush bilayers to stationary shear motion beyond the Newtonian response. The corresponding exponents are derived from a recently developed scaling theory, where the interpenetration between the brushes is taken as the relevant length scale. This allows to predict the dependence of the critical shear rate, which separates linear and non-linear behavior, on compression and molecular parameters of the bilayer. We present scaling plots for chain extension (R , viscosity ( , and shear force (F over a wide range of Weissenberg numbers, W . In agreement with our theory, the simulation reveals simple power laws, R ∼ W ^0.53 , ∼ W ^-0.46 , and F ∼ W ^0.54 , for the non-Newtonian regime.