Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol.73, No.8, 1493-1500, 1999
Effect of chain structure on the melt rheology of modified polypropylene
The effect of molecular structure of polypropylene (PP) on the melt rheological properties were investigated for electron irradiated polymer and di-2-ethylhexyl peroxy dicarbonate (EHPC)-treated polymer. The modifications were examined in terms of the rheological behaviors, molecular weight distribution, and the degree of branching. The high melt strength PP was obtained by irradiating with 50 and 80 kGy and adding EHPC. The modified PPs showed the strain hardening in the uniaxial elongational viscosity, though the linear elongational viscosity was lower than that of the unmodified PP. Low angle laser light-scattering measurements of the modified PPs showed the interesting results; high irradiation doses such as 50 and 80 kGy caused higher molecular weight chains branching. Nevertheless, the long branching chains were not detected for the EHPC modified PP, which also showed the strain hardening in uniaxial elongational flow. In this article, the relation between chain structure and rheological properties is discussed.
Keywords:SIZE EXCLUSION CHROMATOGRAPHY;LASER-LIGHT SCATTERING;ELONGATIONAL VISCOSITY;MOLECULAR-WEIGHT;STRAIN RATE;BIREFRINGENCE;POLYETHYLENE;POLYMERS;SHEAR