Polymer melt rheology with a slit die

Abstract

A piston driven high pressure slit die rheometer with three pressure holes along the die and one in the barrel was used to investigate viscosity, entrance and exit pressure losses, and pressure coefficient of viscosity of a LDPE melt. Hydrostatic calibration of melt pressure transducers can be performed in the rheometer. The slit die results are compared with measurements on circular dies assuming linear and parabolic pressure profiles in both cases. A simplified conversion from apparent to true viscosity, applicable for single point measurements, has been used. In spite of the different symmetries the Bagley correction from the linear pressure profile of circular dies was found to be equal to the sum of exit and entrance pressure losses in the slit. The magnitude and sign of the exit pressure loss depend on the type of pressure profile used. The influence of a pressure dependent viscosity and a temperature gradient along the die on the curvature of the pressure profile is discussed. To directly investigate the effect of pressure the pressure level at constant flow rate was increased stepwise by means of a valve attached to the exit of the slit die.