Conformation tensor rheological models (Q1821636)

A systematic study of conformation tensor rheological models is presented in this paper. The approach unifies and extends results obtained previously by Hand, Giesekus, and Maugin and Drouot. Rheological properties that are independent of details of the conformational dependence of the intrasegmental force and the mobility are identified. A closed form solution is found for rigid-in-average dumbbell models.