Experimental Study of Rheological Characteristics of Polymer Melts in the Micro-Die

Abstract

Compared with in the conventional scales, the rheological properties of polymer melts have changed in the micro-scales. Based on the principle of capillary flow and modified with the method of Bagley or zero die micro-die, the rheological characteristics of polypropylene (PP) were investigated using the HAAKE capillary rheometer under the micro-die and conventional die. The results show that: the viscosity of polymer melt modified with the method of bagley or zero die micro-die in the different L/D ratio of micro-die is the same and the shear viscosity of PP decreases with the increase of shear rate; Compared with the viscosity in the conventional scales, the measured viscosity of PP in the micro-scales was reduced by 46% in 0.25mm diameter die, 44% in the 0.20mm diameter die and 88% in the 0.15mm diameter die at the same shear rate; a layer of fixed polymer melt was found in the inwall of the micro-die through the calculation of wall slip rate.