Application of a fractional model for simulation of the viscoelastic functions of polymers

In the present work the dynamic behavior of two representative polymeric materials, experimentally studied in previous works, has been analyzed by a fractional derivative model. It is shown that the well‐known fractional derivative Zener model, in its simplest form as a four‐parameter model is capable of capturing the main features of the dynamic moduli of the polymeric structures examined. Furthermore, the time dependent viscoelastic functions, namely the compliance and the relaxation modulus could be simulated with the same model parameter values, indicating this way that the fractional model can provide a method of interconversion between viscoelastic material functions. The model's inadequacy of describing the loss modulus peak asymmetry, exhibited by the materials, has been encountered by the five‐parameter version of the fractional Zener model. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43505.