วัชรินทร์ สิทธิเจริญ. Measurement of Radial Velocity Profiles and Melt Strength of Polymer Melts under Elongational Flow using Circular Dies. Doctoral Degree(Materials Technology). King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi. KMUTT Library. : King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 2011.
Measurement of Radial Velocity Profiles and Melt Strength of Polymer Melts under Elongational Flow using Circular Dies
Abstract:
This thesis aimed to investigate the melt strength of low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
melt, mechanical strength of molten and solidified of neat low-density polyethylene, a
blend of LDPE with linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) under tensile
deformation and measure melt strength, melt velocity and elongational viscosity profiles
across of molten LDPE filament diameter under non-isothermal and isothermal
conditions. The proposed experimental rig was based on parallel co-extrusion technique
(PCT), which was specially designed and manufactured in this work. An experimental
rig was designed and constructed for simultaneous measurements of melt strength,
velocity profiles and elongational viscosity profiles, and was coupled with a high speed
data logging system and a personal computer for the real-time measurements.
The experimental results suggested that the melt strength of LDPE was
dependent upon the volumetric flow rate from the extruder, roller speed, die
temperature and take-up style. The drawdown force of the LDPE melt also increased
with increasing volumetric flow rate from the extruder and roller speeds for
the step-ladder take-up, but decreased with increasing die temperature. The drawdown
force changes were associated with the molecular disentanglement and elastic
resistances of the branched LDPE melt. The drawdown forces of the LDPE melt
measured under the rapid speed take-up method were 40-60% greater than those tested
under the ladder-step speed take-up method. The elongational viscosities of the LDPE
melt slightly decreased with elongational strain rate and die temperature.
The mechanical strengths of neat LDPE and LLDPE/LDPE blends were investigated in
molten and solidified states under tensile deformation. It was found that the drawdown
for the molten LDPE also increased with increasing volumetric flow rate, roller speed
and LLDPE content, but decreased with increasing die temperature. In LLDPE/LOPE
blends, incorporating LLDPE from 0 to 30wt% into LDPE caused a slight increase
in drawdown force, larger fluctuation in drawdown force and reduction of maximum
roller speed to failure. The mechanical properties of solidified filament LLDPE/LDPE
corresponded to those in the molten LLDPE/LDPE for the effect of LLDPE content.
The tensile modulus and tensile strength for the neat LDPE and LLDPE/LOPE blends
slightly increased with increasing roller speed. The effects of volumetric flow rate from
the extruder and die temperature on the mechanical properties of the solidified blends
were very small as compared with that of the molten ones.
For velocity and viscosity profiles under elongational deformation, the results suggested
the drawdown forces changed continuously with changing roller speed and the velocity
profiles of the melt not uniform across the LDPE filament during the stretching of the
melt. The drawdown forces and velocity profiles were affected by volumetric flow rates
from the extruder, die temperatures, and roller speeds used. The higher the volumetric
flow rate the greater the drawdown force required, and higher local melt velocities and
elongational viscosities. The drawdown forces under non-isothermal condition were
greater than those for the isothermal condition. It was also found that the drawdown
forces and the melt velocities for the molten filament increased with increasing roller
speed. The drawdown forces decreased, whereas those the melt velocities increased
with increasing die temperature. The velocity profiles of the melt were equalized at the
die exit under un-stretching condition, but not uniform when stretching the melt. The
elongational viscosity profiles of the LDPE filament were not uniform across the
filament cross-section, which corresponded well to the obtained velocity profiles. The
elongational viscosities of the LDPE filament were relatively higher when extruded and
stretched under non-isothermal condition. The changes in velocities and elongational
viscosity profiles were more sensitive to the changes in volumetric flow rate, die
temperature, and roller speed.