  A scalar field equivalent to a non-ideal "dark energy fluid" obeying a
Shan-Chen-like equation of state is used as the background source of a flat
Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmological spacetime to describe the inflationary
epoch of our universe. Within the slow-roll approximation, a number of
interesting features are presented, including the possibility to fulfill
current observational constraints as well as a graceful exit mechanism from the
inflationary epoch.
