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Rheological properties of molten polymers. I. Homopolymer systems
Author(s) -
Han Chang Dae,
Yu Thomas C.,
Kim Kwang Ung
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1971.070150511
Subject(s) - branching (polymer chemistry) , polymer , rheology , materials science , molar mass distribution , elasticity (physics) , polyethylene , rheometer , thermodynamics , polymer chemistry , composite material , physics
Experimental work has been carried out to investigate the influence of molecular weight distribution and long chain branching on both viscous and elastic properties of molten polymers, using a capillary rheometer, as described in a recent paper by Han. The materials used for the study are three high‐density polyethylene samples of widely different molecular weight distributions and a low‐density polyethylene containing much long‐chain branching. For the analysis of the experimental data, and to obtain the information on the melt elasticity, the concept of the exit pressure recently advanced by Han is used. The study shows that the sample containing long‐chain branching is much more elastic than the samples containing little or no long‐chain branching, and that the broader the molecular weight distribution of the material, the more elastic the material is. These findings are in conformity with those reported in the literature. Also studied were blends of two high‐density polyethylenes having widely different molecular weight distributions. The results of the blends systems show a maximum in melt viscosity as well as in elasticity for a certain blending ratio. The results of the present study may be of considerable interest to those who are concerned with modifying the structure of polymer and also with determining optimum processing conditions.