Love wave characteristics in viscoelastic fluid loaded surface layer: comparison between Jeffrey and Maxwell–Jeffrey models

This article proposes an analytical study of the Love wave propagation when the surface of the waveguide is loaded with a dilute polymer. The dilute polymer is modeled using successively Jeffrey and Maxwell–Jeffrey models. Using appropriate boundary conditions, a dispersion equation is obtained to evaluate the Love wave properties. The influence of the boundary condition at the fluid surface is highlighted in this article. A criterion is established in function of the Deborah number to assimilate the fluid to a semi-infinite medium. On the other hand, the effect of the viscosities ratio of the solvent and the polymer is investigated. Finally, we emphasized the specificities of each model used for the dilute polymer. The obtained results are fundamental for designing Love wave sensors intended to characterize dilute polymers. In addition, this study can be very useful to interpret the experimental measurements.