Theory of viscoelastic properties of polyelectrolyte solutions

A theory of frequency dependence of shear viscosity η and modulus G of polyelectrolyte solutions is presented as functions of concentrations of the polymer (c) and added salt. In the asymptotic limit of high frequency ω, η is proportional to cω−2/3 in dilute solutions and to c3/4ω−1/2 in semidilute solutions under salt-free conditions. As in the zero-frequency limit, reduced viscosity η and reduced modulus G are decreasing functions of c in salt-free semidilute solutions at high frequencies: ηr∼c−1/4ω−1/2, Gr∼c−1/4ω1/2. If the salt concentration is high, η∼cω−4/9 in dilute solutions and η∼c9/8ω−1/2 in semidilute solutions, as expected for neutral good solutions.