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The effect of processing conditions on the rheological properties of blends of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene with high‐density polyethylene
Author(s) -
Chaudhuri Krishnaroop,
Poddar Suparna,
Pol Harshawardhan,
Lele Ashish,
Mathur Ajit,
Srinivasa Rao Gandham S.,
Jasra Rakshavir
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.25016
Subject(s) - high density polyethylene , materials science , polyethylene , rheology , composite material , mixing (physics) , compounding , ultra high molecular weight polyethylene , shear (geology) , physics , quantum mechanics
Blends of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) with small amounts of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were prepared by melt mixing in a twin‐screw microcompounder. Two types of UHMWPE differing in their states of chain entanglement were used. The blend composition, time of mixing, and rotation speed of the screws were varied. Rheological properties of the blends were studied in oscillatory shear and uniaxial elongational tests. Reduction in phase angle measured in dynamic shear rheology and increase in extensional strain hardening were found to be useful indicators for quantifying the extent of mixing of the two components. Although the disentangled UHMWPE showed reasonable mixing with HDPE during typical residence times of melt compounding operations, the entangled UHMWPE remained essentially undissolved. The extent of mixing increased with mixing time and screw speed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:821–829, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers