Troubleshooting and mitigating gels in polyethylene film products

Abstract

The term “gel” refers to any small defect that distorts a film product. Eliminating gel defects from extruded polyethylene film products can be difficult, time consuming, and expensive due to the problem's complexity and the off-specification product produced. This paper discusses how to: identify gel types, common root causes, and technical solutions for mitigating gels in film products produced using single-screw extruders.