Analysis of melt spinning master‐curves of low density polyethylene

Abstract

Abstract The extensional rheological properties of a low density polyethylene (LDPE) melt were studied by using melt spinning technique. Based on the extension properties of the LDPE melt under experimental conditions, the melt spinning master‐curves were plotted by introducing scaling factor b and the draw ratio λ. The scaling factor b shows the combination effects on the preorientation before extension, the unwrapping and orientation of molecular chains during extension. Several linear relationships between b and temperature, log b and the logarithm of extrusion flow rate v 0 (log v 0 ) have been investigated. By using the values of b and the reference curve, the extension viscosity curves with different temperature and extrusion flow rate could be calculated, thus the measurement range of melt spinning technique would be extended effectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012