The Doi-Edwards model without independent alignment (Q1820642)

The well-known constitutive equation of Doi and Edwards incorporates an approximation called ''independent alignment''. Although the approximation is acceptable in most cases, there are instances where it generates predictions which may be off by an order of magnitude or even opposite in sign. By completing an analysis initiated in a previous paper [see the review above (Zbl 0615.76012)] and there limited to slow flows, the approximation is here removed for the general case. The constitutive equation which is obtained resembles an integro-differential equation previously obtained by Doi. Differences and similarities among the various approximations are thoroughly discussed both in their physical significance and for what regards the simplicity of use of the corresponding constitutive equations.