International Polymer Processing, Vol.14, No.3, 221-227, 1999
Mixing homologous high viscosity ratio polymer blends in converging flow
Several studies have shown that deformation and break-Lip of dispersed droplets is easier in extensional than in shear flow field and this is particularly true for systems with high viscosity ratios. The simplest way to generate a significant extensional flow field in compounding equipment is to use converging flow conditions. In this work, the mixing efficiency of converging flow has been investigated as a function of the entry profile and the flow rate by using a capillary rheometer equipped with dies of different geometries. The material used for this study was a bimodal polyethylene presenting inhomogeneities due to the high viscosity ratio between the low and high molecular weight fractions. The results indicated that the mixing performance depended strongly on the die geometry and flow rate. A critical flow rate was observed for each particular entry profile at which the highest efficiency was observed. This critical flow rate was found to correspond to the onset of melt flow instabilities.
Keywords:DROPLET DEFORMATION;EXTENSIONAL FLOW;MOLECULAR-WEIGHT;LINEARFLOWS;DIE ANGLE;POLYETHYLENE;BREAKUP;MIXTURES;MELT;FIBRILLATION