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Crystallization—morphology—polymer processing correlations for IUPAC low density polyethylenes
Author(s) -
Magill J. H.,
Peddada S. V.,
Mcmanus G. M.
Publication year - 1981
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.760210102
Subject(s) - crystallization , differential scanning calorimetry , materials science , polymer , polyethylene , scanning electron microscope , crystallization of polymers , morphology (biology) , optical microscope , phase (matter) , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , composite material , thermodynamics , chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , engineering , genetics , biology
The crystallization behavior of three IUPAC low density polyethylene samples has been characterized by thermal analysis. Their rates of crystallization only are directly correlatable with their film forming ability in film blowing technology. The IUPAC samples possessed essentially indistinguishable physical properties, including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) melting curves and rheological characteristics, but their propensity for crystallization was found readily to parallel their film forming ability and other characteristics associated with end‐use performance. The application of thermal analysis to assess crystallization is a unique diagnostic tool for measuring polymer film processability, which is well illustrated here using a few simple experiments made on the original polymer specimens and a polymer blend. Although all samples exhibit similar small‐angle X‐ray periodicities, the morphological differences assessed, particularly by microtomy‐optical microscopy, correlate with, and complement, the results of phase transformation kinetics responsible for film properties. Fractography‐scanning electron microscopy proves to be inferior to optical methods for revealing the morphology of these low density polyethylenes.