Fourier-transform rheology of polymer Langmuir monolayers: Analysis of the non-linear and plastic behaviors

The linear regime (LR) of viscoelastic behavior has been found to be limited to rather small values of strain, well below the strains found in many technological processes. A Fourier-transform method is described for analyzing the surface rheology data obtained in insoluble Langmuir polymer monolayers beyond the LR. In the concentrate regime, the monolayers show a transition from elastic to plastic behavior, which is characterized by high irreversibility. A simple 2-D rubber model is presented that describes the behavior of the monolayers in the non-linear region not too far from the end of the LR.