Evolution of Fibrous Structures Within Unstable Polymeric Fluids

Abstract

Fibril formation within polymeric fluids is viewed from two complementary models. One is based on the lattice theory for solutions of semiflexible polymer molecules presented by Flory in 1956. This viewpoint is modified along lines suggested by Frenkel to incorporate effects that may be present in the thermokinetic environment of a polymeric system undergoing fibril formation. In the other viewpoint, fibril formation is recognized as an irreversible process. and the ther modynamics of irreversible processes, pioneered by Prigogine, is applied. This viewpoint considers the expansion and collection of polymer molecules in a nonequilibrium thermodynamic stationary state as developed by Lavenda. A merging of these two viewpoints is suggested as a viable stratagem for erecting a proper theory of fibril formation within the fluid jet inherent in contemporary synthetic filament forming processes.