We measured the linear and nonlinear rheology of model polyisoprene comb polymers with a moderate number (5−18) of short (marginally entangled to unentangled) branches and highly entangled backbones. The hierarchical modes of relaxation were found to govern both the linear and nonlinear response. Appropriate modification of tube-model theory for entangled branches, inspired by recent work on asymmetric star polymers (where the short branch behaves as effectively larger on small time scales), provided a framework for quantitative predictions of the linear viscoelastic spectra. The extended nonlinear stress relaxation data over a wide time range (via time−temperature superposition) obeys time−strain separability and allows extraction of two damping functions: one for the branches at short times and one for the diluted backbone at long times. Both exhibit signatures of the comb architecture. The comb damping function at short times, shifted relative to the branch relaxation, is dominated by the retraction of branches and backbone end segments. The backbone damping function is rationalized by considering it as a linear chain that feels a smaller effective strain due to the prior branch relaxation.

The energy absorbed in ballistic fabrics is modeled by assuming yarn pull-out, including yarn uncrimping and translation, as the primary energy absorption mechanism. Using a semi-empirical model of yarn pull-out based on laboratory tests, predictions of fabric ballistic performance are compared to ballistic test results. The study demonstrates that quasi-static pull-out results can be correlated quantitatively with yarn pull-out during ballistic impact.

We measure the stress relaxation of linear comb polymer solutions, after a large amplitude step shear strain. We apply the time-temperature superposition principle in order to construct stress relaxation master curves that span many orders of magnitude in time and cover the entire comb relaxation from early branch retraction to backbone reptation. We find evidence of distinct relaxation processes and dynamic tube dilation that can be attributed to the architectural features of the polymer.

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Yarn pull-out can be an important energy absorption mechanism during the ballistic impact of woven Kevlar® fabric. This study reports the effects of fabric length, number of yarns pulled, arrangement of yarns, and transverse tension on the force-displacement curves for yam pull-out tests on Kevlar® KM-2 fabric under laboratory conditions. A semi-empirical model is presented for predicting the yam pull-out force and energy as a function of pull-out distance, including both yarn uncrimping and subsequent yam translation. This model is found to replicate the experimental data with a high degree of accuracy, and should prove useful for understanding ballistic experiments and improving computational modeling of fabrics.