On the temperature dependence of elasticity of thermo-reversible gels

In order to explain the temperature dependence of elasticity of thermo-reversible gels, a simple model is proposed It assumes that the gel consists of Langevin chains whose both ends are loosely fixed in crystalline junction regions in such a way that the segments near each end are bound densely in one of the junction region. The segments are assumed to be released from the junction with increasing temperature just as gas molecules evaporate or sublimate from the condensed phase. When all the segments in one of the both ends are liberated from the junction, the chain would cease to contribute to the elasticity. The elastic modulus of the gel is estimated numerically by means of statistical mechanics and the characteristic behaviour of the temperature dependence of thermo-reversible gels is shown to be well reproduced on the basis of this model.