title: Viscoelasticity near the gel point: a molecular dynamics study.
abstract: We report on extensive molecular dynamics simulations on systems of soft spheres of functionality f, i.e., particles that are capable of bonding irreversibly with a maximum of f other particles. These bonds are randomly distributed throughout the system and imposed with probability p. At a critical concentration of bonds, p(c) approximately 0.2488 for f=6, a gel is formed and the shear viscosity eta diverges according to eta approximately (p(c)-p)(-s). We find s approximately 0.7 in agreement with some experiments and with a recent theoretical prediction based on Rouse dynamics of phantom chains. The diffusion constant decreases as the gel point is approached but does not display a well-defined power law.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vernon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plischke
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joós