Molecular dynamics simulation of planar extensional and shear rheology of dendritic and blended dendrimer-linear polymer melts

The behaviour of highly branched dendritic polymer melts undergoing planar shear and extensional flows was studied using molecular dynamics simulation techniques. Of particular interest was the influence of molecular architecture on their unique macroscopic flow properties. Dendritic polymers have numerous high technology applications, such as bio-carriers in controlled drug delivery, flow-aid agents for industrial polymer melts, and functional building blocks for the creation of novel nanostructures. A significant outcome of this thesis was capturing the extensional flow behaviour of blends of dendritic and linear polymers, which is difficult to obtain experimentally due to inherent instabilities of these kinds of flows.